Sheltered Secrets
by iloveromance
Summary: Daphne accepts an invitation to spend a weekend with Niles at his cabin. In solitude, secrets and ambitions begin to collide. My 400th story, published on 12/13/14!
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: This is my 400th story and I want to thank everyone who has followed my stories and/or has been kind enough to leave reviews. Two years ago, I read a wonderful, very detailed story that was sadly left unfinished. After a prolonged period of time spent wondering how it might have turned out, I decided to write my own version that still keeps the feeling of the original. As always, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your time and support. It means the world to me. And one last note.. I have chosen 12/13/14 to publish my 400th, because the date is so unique and I hope that you will find what you are about to read unique as well.  
><em>**

Niles Crane, it seemed, was everywhere.

From the moment she awakened until the moment she fell asleep, he consumed her every thought. Not a second went by that she didn't envision his face, even when engaged in conversations with other people or doing things that required her full attention. And yet it only took a moment to conjure up his image, lest she'd forgotten it.

She'd become quite good at hearing his soothing voice in her head. But the intrusion, as it was, had become so frequent, that even speaking to Frasier was difficult, for she barely heard him anymore as he barked orders to her as though he were a drill sergeant. And miraculously, most of the time her boss didn't even notice that mentally she was a million miles away.

She'd learned over the years what Frasier Crane expected and it made it easy to please him. But when she'd done something wrong, he didn't hesitate to make her aware of it. Such was the case just a few days ago when Frasier sent her into Café Nervosa for a beverage. Why he refused to go in and get the drink himself was beyond her but she didn't feel like arguing with him. And so, she left him at his favorite men's clothing store (the over-priced one) while she went into the café and ordered his drink.

Feeling proud (for no other reason than the fact that she had managed to order the drinks without complications, thanks to Taylor, the long-time Nervosa barista), she carried the steaming drink in the red and green paper cup out of the cafe and handed it to him. "There you are, Dr. Crane. Just the way you like it. And for you, Mr. Crane, one black coffee."

Martin smiled and took the cup from her. "Hey, thanks Daph! You're all right! But Fras, I still don't see why we can't just go inside like normal people!"

"Because, Dad, there's someone in there that I'm trying to avoid!"

Martin shook his head in disbelief. "Oh geez, not this again! You mean you're still obsessed with that woman Vicki who dumped you last week? What are the chances that she'll even be in there?"

"A _very_ good chance! This _is_ a public place! Now let's just get out of here, all right?"

Frasier took a sip of his drink and then gasped, spewing it out as though he'd been poisoned. "Dear God, Daphne, what is this?"

Daphne's eyes narrowed. "What do you think it is? It's your drink, just the way you wanted it!"

"This is not _at all_ what I asked for!" he snapped.

"Of course it is! I'm not stupid! I think after working for you all of these years I _know _what your favorite drink is!"

"This is _Niles_ favorite drink, Daphne! A _half-caf, non-fat latte with the faintest hint of cinnamon_! And incidentally, this is more of a _shout_, as Niles would say! It's hardly a… Oh, what difference does it make? The point is that I specifically gave you an order and I expected you to follow through! But apparently you chose to ignore my wishes!"

Realizing the horror of what she had done, Daphne swallowed hard, forcing her tears to remain hidden. "Don't speak to me in that sort of manner! I'm not a bloody child! It was an honest mistake!"

"_How,_ Daphne?"

"Well, you and your brother are so much alike that it's only natural-."

"Fras, just leave her alone, all right?" Martin yelled. "She's not your damn slave! She's my therapist who happens to work for you! You're the one who insists on giving her all of these other duties because you're too damn lazy to do them yourself! It's just a cup of coffee and if you don't like it, get your own damn coffee! And another thing... shut your big bazoos! I'm tired of hearing the two of you arguing!"

Daphne turned away and began to cry quietly, no longer caring about the reactions of Frasier or Martin. But when she turned around she felt the wrath of Frasier Crane bearing down on her. "I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. I-."

He smiled and put his hand on her shoulder, causing her to lean against him and cry as he rubbed her back. "It's all right, Daphne. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I'm just a little apprehensive about this meeting with the new station manager tomorrow."

Martin looked surprised. "But why? I thought you said that the meeting was no big deal."

"Well, I thought so too, Dad but now I'm not so sure."

"What's changed?"

She lifted her head and the Crane men's conversation suddenly dissolved in her ears, replaced once again by the sound of Niles' voice. She could hear the youngest Crane man loud and clear, reprimanding his older brother for speaking to her so harshly. After all, as she had said before, it was just an honest mistake.

She was certain that Niles would have spent his own money to buy Frasier the correct drink, taking the original one for his own and then thanking Daphne profusely for remembering such a small but important detail. And then he would pause to compliment her hair, her clothes or her perfume, making her heart dance with happiness as it was doing now, just thinking about it.

But it wasn't just happiness she was feeling inside. It was something more. She just wasn't quite sure what it was.


	2. Chapter 2

Now she worked diligently, scrubbing and cleaning the condo (which was already spotless) and she simply couldn't stop. Her hard work annoyed even Frasier who commented on more than one occasion that she was in imminent danger of scrubbing the features of his prized African statues clean off. But despite his begging, she absolutely refused to stop. She liked keeping busy. It was a distraction from what her life had become.

When she was cleaning, she didn't think about the night of Frasier's Christmas party and the way that Niles asked her to join him on the balcony. She didn't think about how he noticed so easily the way she shivered and rubbed her arms in the chill of the December air. Or the way he'd apologized and quickly removed his jacket without haste, putting it around her shoulders. The gesture was so sweet, so unexpected, and so thoughtful, that she found herself staring into his eyes of blue, taking in his handsome features.

He always dressed so handsomely, and that night he was even more handsome than usual in his tie and suspenders, his blonde hair perfectly styled. And now, if she closed her eyes, she found herself transported back in time. She could feel the warm weight and the cool satin lining of his coat on her bare shoulders. At first she'd chastised herself for wearing a sleeveless dress to a Christmas party during one of the coldest months of the year. But after she'd followed Niles to the balcony, she was grateful for the dress that she had chosen. Had she worn a long sleeve dress or even a coat, she might not feel so torn right now.

Just as she feared, the memory brought his face into full view once more and she lowered herself into Martin's chair, finding it hard to breathe. Hot tears stung her eyes and her chest began to ache. At least there was one consolation in the fact that there was virtually no chance that Niles would be dropping by as he usually did. She knew this because she'd overheard him talking to his brother (her boss) about his much-anticipated trip with Mel.

Mel Karnofksy. The woman he had fallen in love with while he was supposedly in love with her. Daphne Moon, a woman who was worlds away from being a plastic surgeon. But it was obvious that he no longer loved her. Why should he, when he'd watched her make a promise to another man as he'd offered her the stars? Of course Niles would find someone else. He wasn't meant to spend his life alone. He deserved every ounce of happiness in the world; and all the love it had to offer.

Forcefully she rose from the chair, determined to stop thinking about him. There must be something in this bloody house that hasn't already been scrubbed and disinfected.

And suddenly she had an idea. Of course. Frasier's sock drawer.

He was very particular about how he liked his belongings; even something as mundane as socks. He liked them sorted by weave, each of them placed carefully in the slots that encompassed his sock organizer. But really to the average person it made more sense to organize them by color. Yes, that's what she would do. She would organize his sock drawer by color. And if he didn't like it, she'd have something to occupy her time as she returned the socks to their former places.

Once again a woman with a purpose she strode into Frasier's bedroom intent on focusing only on the matter at hand; rearranging his sock drawer. She wouldn't look at his many framed pictures that were scattered about the room and hung on the walls, each containing at least one photo of his younger brother. She absolutely refused to put herself through such misery. She could conjure up Niles image in her head without the aid of a photograph.

But she couldn't sit around here doing absolutely nothing. She'd go stir-crazy for sure. Once more she moved toward the bedroom but her mission was cut short by the sound of the ringing phone.

Eager for a distraction, she rushed to the living room before she realized that the phone that sat by Martin's chair wasn't ringing at all. It was Donny's cell phone. It was then that she realized that he'd left it behind. The thought that he'd carelessly left something as valuable as his cell phone behind stunned her but for a moment as it continued to ring.

It took no time at all to make the decision to answer it. Donny would be furious when he found out that she'd taken one of his personal calls, but apologizing to him later would give her something to do; another thing to take her mind off of Dr. Niles Crane. She picked up the phone and opened it, pressing it against her ear.

"Um… Donny Douglas' phone."

_"Hello, is this Donny's secretary?"  
><em>

Her insides grew cold as she recognized the voice of the woman she hated most. The voice of Mel.

"No…" She replied meekly. "It's Daphne."

_"Even better. This is Mel Karnofksy. Could you give him a message?"  
><em>

_"I_-I don't-."_  
><em>

_"I need him to call me. No, wait. I don't think he'll be able to reach me. Could you tell him to get in touch with my attorney, Gwen Ellis of Vaneldon, Ellis and Rodney? Are you _

_writing this down?"  
><em>

"Yes." Daphne lied, annoyed at Mel's phone mannerisms. "I'll tell him when I see him."

"_Tell him that he needs to send Gwen the prenuptial agreement_ _that he drew up for Niles and I. There are a few more details that I'd like her to iron out."_

A wave of dizziness washed over Daphne and she sank onto the sofa.

Niles was getting married.


	3. Chapter 3

She closed her eyes and touched her aching head. "What?"

_"Prenuptial agreement."_ Mel repeated, slowly enunciating each word as though Daphne was a schoolgirl. _"P-R-E-N-U-P-T-I-A-L. You know what? You don't have to understand. Just write it down. Donny's smart. He'll know what to do."  
><em>

"A prenuptial agreement." Daphne repeated, unable to make it real.

_"Yes, but this afternoon if possible. And Daphne, I want you to keep this conversation to yourself. Niles and I are eloping and we want to keep it from our family and friends for now."  
><em>

Daphne swallowed hard. "I-I will."

_"I'll call later if I need anything else."  
><em>

It was several seconds before Daphne realized that Mel had hung up and she was now listening to the dial tone. She sat holding the silent phone in disbelief. Dr. Crane was getting married, possibly as soon as tonight.

The words of Mel Karnofksy taunted her over and over again. A prenuptial agreement. It just didn't make sense. Who prepares a prenuptial agreement when they elope?

"_We want to keep it from our family and friends for now."_ Mel had said.

_Family and friends. _

Daphne definitely wasn't family and apparently neither Mel nor Niles considered her a friend. The thought brought a stinging pain to her chest and once again it was hard to breathe. But she would not cry.

To cry meant that she had accepted the fact that Mel was about to become Mrs. Niles Crane. And accepting that Niles would soon be married was something she could not do. Not yet.

Donny's cell phone rang again bringing her back to the present. Time had become a blur and she hadn't even noticed that the room had become dark and quiet, just like her soul…. like a funeral home where no one visited the deceased.

How long had she been sitting there, staring at nothing? Two hours, Three? When the ringing began again, she picked up the phone.

"Donny's cell phone."

"_Daphne? Mel Karnofksy again. Did you give him the message_?"

"No. He left his cell phone here and I don't know how to reach him."

Mel sighed deeply-the way people did when they were irritated_. "Fine. Since you already know about the secret, I need you to do something else for me. Call the hospital and ask for Alexandra Ng. That's pronounced __**Ing**__, like __**wedd-ing**__, but it's spelled… Oh, why am I even explaining this to you? Look, just ask Alexandria to confirm that I'll be attending the conference in Atlanta and I'll be staying on to perform the surgery as requested. Ask her to make the necessary arrangements."  
><em>

"T-two tickets?" Daphne choked out.

_"No, just one. Why would I-Oh… that's right. Niles."_ Mel laughed as though forgetting her fiancé was the most natural thing in the world. Her laugh sounded different then, almost human. But when Daphne cleared her throat, Mel must have realized to whom she was speaking, because her tone changed immediately to one of business. The way someone speaks to one who is not family, friend nor social equal. _"No, I'll be busy while I'm there so I told him to stay at home. I-."_  
>Mel continued to chatter, but the word echoed loudly in Daphne's head.<p>

_Home…_

_Home…_. The Montana. The home that he shared with Mel. The place where they would soon reside as husband and wife. The place where Daphne almost spent the night with her best friend during a hot summer night so long ago. The place-

"_We'll plan for a proper honeymoon later." _Mel was saying_. "You'll remember not to tell anyone, won't you?"  
><em>

"Yes." Daphne replied sharply.

_"And do get in touch with Donny. I've left three messages at his office and I know that he's expecting my call."  
><em>

"Yes." Daphne said again in the same sharp manner. If Mel had left messages at Donny's office there was nothing more that Daphne could do to find him. She had no intention of calling a complete stranger to tell her to make Mel's plans, but the thought was tempting. Sending Mel Karnofksy across the country seemed like a task worth doing; a task to make her forget that Dr. Crane was getting married.

But instead she stayed as she was, staring into space amid the darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

Dr. Crane was getting married.

Unsteadily, Daphne stood but then lost her balance and sat back down. The condo was swaying at an alarming rate. After a few moments she forced herself to stand, remaining as she was until her legs became steady again. She took a deep breath and made her way to her room. Dr. and Mr. Crane would be returning with Eddie any moment and Daphne needed a place where she could continue staring into space in private.

But in the darkness that her life had become there was one ray of light. Of hope.

There was virtually no chance of either Crane man intruding by entering her room. That had been settled years ago when she'd caught all three Crane men in her room; an embarrassment that had earned her a brand new car-a blue convertible.

But even that thought didn't make her smile now.  
>Making no effort to undress, Daphne climbed into bed. Almost immediately thoughts of Niles Crane filled her mind. At least here she could think about him in peace.<p>

She reached over and picked up the gift that he had given her to replace the earrings that he'd bought for Mel. It was a snow globe which sat on a silver base. Inside the crystal globe stood a slender white unicorn with deep and gentle eyes; his mane and tail adorned with tiny blue jewels.

_"For your collection." Niles had explained when she unfolded the blue tissue paper and lifted the gift from the box. "I know it's not a traditional gift but I saw it in a catalog and I couldn't resist. I ordered it for you immediately so that it would arrive as quickly as possible."_

_"It's beautiful." She whispered._

_"It's personalized. Turn it over."_

_She did as he asked, revealing a silver plate along the base of the snow globe on which the words were "For Daphne with Love from Niles." were engraved in beautiful script._

_Tears filled her eyes and she glanced up at him. "Dr. Crane…"_

_"I hope you like the song. You told me once that it was one of your favorites."_

_She blinked in surprise. She hadn't even noticed that it played music._

_With trembling hands, she turned the small silver knob and then held the globe upright in her hands. Almost immediately the exquisite sounds of George and Ira Gershwin's "_They Can't Take That Away From Me_" floated out._

_It was incredible, the thoughtfulness of this man, whom she'd been friends with for so long and who was in love with her. When she glanced at the snow globe she saw the specks of white and silver snow that floated gently to the bottom. It was the most beautiful sight imaginable._

_Touched beyond measure, she completely forgot about the awkwardness of having to return the gift intended for Mel but given to her. The earrings were beautiful but to imagine Niles Crane picking out something like this, something he himself had to hate, simply because he knew she would love it…_

_"If you don't like it, I'd be happy to find you something else. I know how much you like unicorns and-."_

_She started to cry and threw her arms around him, kissing his cheek in gratitude. But she realized at once that this time it was different._

_Previously when she'd hugged and kissed him she would pull back, only slightly aware of the lingering smile on his face. The smile she'd once mistaken for shyness. But this time it was he who drew back first, barely glancing at her. The smile he wore wasn't meant for her, but in anticipation of meeting Mel, which he then mentioned that he had to do at once, to make things right between them._

_And as she was in the middle of trying to thank him again, the door closed behind him._

_She'd placed the musical snow globe next to her bed and wound it every night before going to sleep. Even if she wasn't certain about her feelings for her friend, she was absolutely certain that she loved the gift._

_It was more than part of her unicorn collection. It was a treasure, a gift that someone she cared for deeply had gone out of his way to purchase just for her. She ran her fingers over the engraving where the words _With Love from Niles _were etched not only on the silver plate but on her soul. She loved it so much that she even forgave the dreams brought on by the familiar song. The dreams that always included the younger Dr. Crane._

Dr. Niles Crane.

_Niles…_

Who was getting married. To someone else. Mel.

She ran her hand along the curve of the dome that protected the graceful unicorn, and then turned it over and over again to watch the flakes of snow fall gently to the bottom. As she watched she tried to decide how she felt about the news of the younger Dr. Crane's engagement. And while she was trying to decide, tears began to stream down her cheeks.

The crying soon became bone-rattling sobs that only served to increase her misery.

Dr. Crane was getting married. To someone else.

Despite her sobs, she could hear distant noise from the living room, which meant that Dr. and Mr. Crane had returned with Eddie. Both men must have assumed that she was spending the night at Donny's because neither of them called for her as they usually did when they arrived home.

She lay on her bed, saturating her pillow with tears. She stared at the unicorn long after the song had finished, long after the condo had become quiet. Sometimes she saw the unicorn, sometimes she saw the handsome face and blue eyes of the man who one night had noticed that she was cold and put his coat around her shoulders.

The night was long with tears ushering her in and out of sleep until she finally woke to daylight instead of darkness. Her eyes, although sore and tired, would not cry anymore.

She was simply all cried out.


	5. Chapter 5

The morning light was bright and harsh, beckoning her to remain as she was. But the voice inside of her head simply would not have it. _This will never do!_ It said in a cross tone that sternly ordered her out of bed. Reluctantly Daphne obeyed. The new day reminded her that even though she was not someone who claimed to be unselfish, she was also not someone who easily gave up. It was not who she was, even if deep down she was certain that her life was over.

When she stood, waves rippled along the carpeted floor of her room and she nearly lost her balance. Briskly she began to make her bed, refusing the temptation of spending the next twelve hours in it. She took a cold shower to shock herself into sobriety and then dressed in the first articles of clothing she saw when she opened her dresser drawer; a pair of dark blue sweatpants and a long t-shirt in a bright shade of pink. It was hardly an outfit she'd wear in public but for staying inside and feeling miserable, it was perfect.

Her eyes, when she looked in the mirror were swollen and rimmed in red, but that would pass with time.

Daphne faltered.

Time….

She could barely imagine coping with space but how in the world would she be able to live with time? One thing was certain; she had to get out of her room.

When she walked into the living room she saw that the condo was empty. And then guilt washed over her, remembering that Mr. Crane had an early doctor's appointment today. She was supposed to drive him, but she had bowed out, saying that she had plans. The words were true, as she did have plans. But when her plans changed she didn't bother to tell him. If only she had, she would have something to do with all of this time.

She glanced helplessly around the living room. Not much had changed since yesterday's cleaning frenzy which left her with absolutely nothing to do now. But if she didn't find something to do soon, she would go completely insane.

Defeated, she sat down heavily on the sofa as she had done yesterday, once again staring at nothing and again seeing his face.

While she stared at the wood grain of the coffee table in front of her, a psychic bell inside her mind began to chime. "Shut up!" She warned it. But it simply would not listen.

She might as well accept the fact that life as she once knew it had changed. Niles would no longer be dropping by for a visit as he used to. Now, if he came at all, it would be in the company of his new wife.

His wife…

Mel.

Stubbornly the bell continued to chime and she covered her ears. But the action only served to make the pitch rise to a piercing sound when suddenly it stopped all together. The front door opened and she rose to her feet, turning to see him standing there.

It was Dr. Crane.

Dr. _Niles Crane._


	6. Chapter 6

They stood frozen, staring at each other for several seconds until finally he spoke. "Daphne I'm sorry. I used my key because I didn't think that anyone would be home." He held his left hand behind his back, but not before she noticed the new band of gold on his finger.

He was married.

Heart deadened, she stared at him. Even if she did love him, that love had come much too late. Whatever her feelings, it was pointless to try to sort them out now. He was married. To someone else.

"I… My plans changed." She managed to choke out. She would not mention that she'd seen the ring. If he was hiding it, chances were very good that he didn't want her to know. Obviously Mel had not told him that she had called Donny's cell phone the day before. It was just as well. It was difficult enough, attempting to have a normal conversation without having to blurt out insincere congratulations.

He avoided her gaze and moved about the living room. "Look, I'm sorry I barged in on you. I'll be out of your way in just a minute."

_You could never be in my way, Niles. Can't you see that? _She wanted so badly to say the words but they simply would not come. But the unspoken words remained in her mind as she continued to stare at him. And finally she dared to speak. "You're not staying?"

"Um… No. I'm going to the cabin. I just came to pick up the keys. Frasier left them for-ah, there they are."

She noticed, for the first time, the set of keys sitting on the sideboard. Still keeping his left hand behind his back, Niles picked up the keys.

"I thought your-um… Mel was in Atlanta for a conference." The moment the words left her mouth she regretted them. She wasn't supposed to know about that. When his face registered surprise, she recovered quickly. "I heard you mention it to your brother… before."

"Oh…Well, yes. She is in Atlanta. I'm going to the cabin alone."

Despite herself, Daphne stared at him. She couldn't help it. He had no idea how terribly she had missed him, how much she needed him. And now he never would.

No. She would not think about him that way. She couldn't.

Casually he dropped the keys into his pocket and then hid his left hand behind his back. "Well, it was good to-." His eyes met hers and he froze. "Are you…" He came closer. "…All right?"

The gentle concern in his voice was almost more than she could bear. _Please stop being so nice to me._ Her mind pleaded. _Can't you see how much it hurts?_

But different words left her mouth. "A bit of the flu." She replied hoarsely, brushing the tears from her eyes. She'd completely forgotten about her night of mourning. She must look absolutely horrible.

"You should be in bed." His voice became agitated. "Would you like me to make you some soup? Do you need to see a doctor?"

"No, I'm fine. Really."

His offer of soup and a trip to the doctor was an echo of the kindness that he'd always shown her. But according to his older brother (albeit in a drug-induced state), it was not merely kindness but loving attention.

"I promise I'm fine, Dr. Crane."

Another lie.

Suddenly his soft hand was on her forehead and then slid down her cheek, searching for signs of fever. She couldn't take it anymore. The kindness was simply too much.

She burst into tears.


	7. Chapter 7

"Daphne…."

"I'm not ill!" She confessed. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane." Anything else she could have said was lost in the flood of tears that followed. She hated lying to him and she hated it even more that he believed the lie so immediately and without question. But he was at a loss only for a moment before offering a soothing hug.

In his arms, her damp cheek against his soft blue sweater, she cried softly as he gently rubbed her back. "I'm so sorry." She apologized again.

"Don't be silly, Daphne. I'm glad you don't have the flu. But something is bothering you and I want you to tell me what it is."

She cried harder. Of course he wanted her to tell him. As usual he wanted to help. But what was she supposed to say?

"_Well, Dr. Crane I know that you've been in love with me for six years but I was too stupid to see it. And now, just when you found someone else, I've started to fall in love with you."_

As before she said nothing and he nodded, as though accepting that fact. "Does this have to do with Donny?"

"No." she replied, sharper than she intended. "Please, Dr. Crane. I don't want to-."

"I'm sorry." His voice was softer now. "I just want you to know that I'm here for you. Always."

The words touched her heart, even though she knew they weren't true. The wedding ring was hidden in his pocket. He was married. To someone else. And that meant that he wasn't there, would not be there. But she tried to smile at him. "Thanks."

"So…" he said casually in the soft tone that one uses to change the subject. "How are the wedding plans coming along?"

"Could we just have one day of not talking about weddings?" Her unreasonable tone brought a look of concern, but he said nothing. Instead his right hand fell from her arm.

"Yes, of course. In fact I welcome that suggestion." He must have forgotten that he'd already put the keys into his pocket because he coughed, as though to cover up the sound of metal clinking on metal. And sure enough when she looked at his hand, the left one was now bare. It pained her deeply that he was keeping this secret from her but perhaps it meant that she indeed fit into the category of family and friend.

"It's nothing." The words she formed were broken but at least she was able to speak. Both of them knew that she was lying, but it was the kind of lie she simply didn't want to talk about.

Niles nodded. He'd been in such a hurry to leave earlier, but now he seemed like he wanted to stay. Part of her wished he would leave, so that she could stop lying and stop pretending that everything was fine. But it was a very small part.

"So you're going to the cabin." This time her voice remained steady, a feat that made her a terrific actress. If only she hadn't called him an actor on the night of the Snow Ball, he wouldn't be married right now. To someone else.

If only.

"Um… yes." He replied as though he was no longer sure. Silence fell between them again as though his revealing such information deserved long pondering.

"It must be good to get away." She hadn't meant to say the words out loud in such a wistful fashion. But they made him smile just the same.

"It's beautiful this time of year."

Memories came back to her then. He'd invited her up to the cabin last February, but she ran into Donny and left shortly after. And once again she spoke wistfully. "I remember." She gazed up at him. "Very beautiful."

"Very beautiful." Niles agreed, his eyes meeting hers. "Very quiet and far away from every- Daphne, would you like to come with me?"

She gasped in disbelief. "What?"

"Would you-."

"Yes."

Their gazes turned into stares. She had no time to recover from the shock of his invitation when she was hit with the shock of her answer. Niles looked similarly stunned by what had just happened. What could she possibly have been thinking? Most likely the invitation wasn't a serious one, so she'd best set things right.

"Do you mind waiting a few minutes while I pack?"

It was the last thing she expected to hear herself say and she wasn't entirely certain that she'd said the words out loud. But then she heard his reply.

"Of course I'll wait for you, Daphne. Take all the time you need."

Her heart fluttering, she fled to her room, not wanting to give him a chance to change his mind. She no longer cared that she might be putting him in an awkward situation and she might as well think about something that felt strangely right.

In her room, she hurriedly stuffed random items of clothing into her overnight bag and then gathered things from her bathroom, stuffing them into her cosmetics case.

She was about to leave when she had a flash… a memory and she hurried back into the bathroom to retrieve a small brown bottle. With trembling fingers she tossed it into the bag. But in the doorway of her room she stopped, her eyes moving toward the snow globe. Slowly she walked over to the bed and picked it up, returning it to its box before placing it carefully in with her clothing where it would remain safe.

In less than five minutes she was back in the living room. "I'm ready." She announced, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. But Niles wore the same expression that he wore when she accepted his offer of going to the cabin. He must have thought she was daft.

"Daphne…" She turned to find that he was now wearing a different expression. The one that he'd worn on the balcony the night of Frasier's Christmas party when she was certain that he was going to say the words that she wanted so badly to hear, but he said something else entirely different.

"You can't possibly go…"

Her shoulders slumped under the weight of her overnight bag and it fell to the floor, along with her heart. She sighed deeply, unable to even cry.

"… Without your coat." He finished.

She stared at him, dumbfounded. "What?"

"It will be freezing up there… at the cabin."

She looked at him, barely daring to hope. He was already crossing the room lifting her red pea coat from its hook. As he moved closer to her, she closed her eyes.

"Allow me."

For once it was not just a memory, but a new reality. She felt the light touch on her shoulders and then the comforting weight of a coat, placed there tenderly by someone who cared enough to keep her warm.

She turned to look at him and he looked back at her as though he was taking in the sight of her. But that was silly. It was just her over-active imagination, her wishful thinking. The old cliché resounded in her head; the one that for years she'd ignored, for it was completely absurd;

_When you are in love, you won't have to question it. You'll know_.

Their eyes still locked, he bent over and picked up her overnight bag. "Well then." He said softly. "I think we both deserve to get away from it all."

He might have been the one to say the words but it was she who slipped her hand around his as they walked out together. She no longer had to question her feelings for Dr. Niles Crane.

She was in love.


	8. Chapter 8

No words were spoken on the drive to the cabin, but there was no denying the unspoken thoughts between them. The desire to reach for his hand was almost overwhelming, but she remained as she was, her hands folded in her lap, continuing to stare out of the window. Around her the scenery passed quickly, a blur of blazing fall colors; gold, yellow, red and green.

Had she not been in such a distressed state of mind, she might have found the drive incredibly beautiful. But all she felt was guilt. She shouldn't be feeling this way about another man. This man in particular. He was married. A tear slid down her cheek and she quickly turned her face toward the window. The last thing she wanted was to have him see her cry yet again. She could only imagine what he must think of her. He must have known that she'd been lying to him about having the flu and even though she apologized, it didn't take away the guilt.

"Did you remember to bring your thyroid pills?"

She looked over in amazement at the simple question. It was in a sense, an unexpressed secret between them, as only they knew what had transpired the night she'd fled to his home at the Montana on that hot summer night. And it made her smile. Only Niles would remember something so trivial and would care enough to ask now. She smiled in gratitude, knowing he deserved an answer. The silence between them had gone on for far too long. "Thank you Dr. Crane. They're packed in me overnight bag. I made certain of it."

He turned to her and smiled but said nothing as she gave him a smile of her own. But almost immediately the peaceful silence had returned. And soon it was as though neither of them had spoken at all. As they drove she could not stop stealing glances at him, although she knew how dangerous it was. To look at him brought back the reality that she could not have him; would never have him. Any second now she was bound to start crying, but amazingly her tears stayed at bay.

Suddenly the car seemed stuffy and much too warm. She lowered the window just a crack to the icy mountain air. Amazingly Niles did the same; a feat that made her wonder if he was really bothered by the temperature or if he was feeling the same as she.

The thought jolted her from fantasy back into reality. He couldn't possibly. He was married… To someone else. She had to keep repeating it to herself, no matter how much it hurt.

And it did hurt.

It hurt a lot.

She looked away for a moment and then when she looked again, she could see that his hands had turned pink from the cold, making her feel yet another tinge of guilt. When he shivered, she quickly rolled up the window, her heart fluttering as he did the same.

They drove on and she wondered if they should turn back. But turning back meant going home. And going home meant sitting in her room, hollow… dreaming of the man she could not have; the man who was married to someone else.

As distraught as she was, nothing prepared her for the sight when she looked over at Niles once again. He looked… different. Almost hurt.

Hesitantly her hand reached for his forearm. "Are you all right, Dr. Crane?"

He was breathing hard, an all-too familiar sign that hyperventilation might soon set in. But his breathing quickly returned to normal and when he spoke it was only one word.

"Hungry?"

They stopped for a bite to eat and as soon as they were seated in a booth at the small café, he excused himself to go the men's room. She ordered tea and coffee and when Niles returned, she noticed a slight glow on his cheeks, as though he'd splashed cold water on them.

They sat across from each other in the booth barely making eye contact but restlessly conscious of one another. For nearly twenty minutes their food was prodded and rearranged repeatedly on their plates, but remained eaten until much to Daphne's gratitude, Niles announced that he wasn't very hungry and suggested that they continue on their journey.

And so they went.


	9. Chapter 9

The cabin came into view at last but as they gathered their luggage and went to the door, they hesitated, smiling awkwardly at one another. Dr. Crane still looked as though something was bothering him, the way his breathing had become staggered. Perhaps he was feeling guilty, bringing her here. Of course he was.

She stood beside him, peering into the cabin window as though something special awaited her inside its four walls. Niles inserted the key and turned the lock, the metal clicking out of place. He'd barely turned the knob when by eerie coincidence the door floated open, perhaps by a gust of wind.

Or perhaps not.

A flash came over her then; a vision. She wasn't exactly sure what the images were but she knew one thing. This was wrong. They had to go back.

Despite what misery awaited her at home, it wasn't fair to Dr. Crane. He was married and he deserved every happiness in the world.

As before her chest tightened but she willed the painful feeling away. She was about to turn and tell him that it was best if they return home when the silence was broken between them.

"Here we are."

Her heart raced as she looked at him with a new determination. "Dr. Crane-."

He stopped adjusting his luggage in his hands and turned to her, smiling.

"I don't-."

But when she saw the cheerful look on his face she couldn't bring herself to disappoint him. And so she remained silent. However, he continued to look at her, showing genuine interest. "You were going to say something?"

She swallowed hard and thought quickly. There were so many things she wanted to say; so many things she couldn't say. But there was one thing that she could say. "I don't know if I've told you thank you, Dr. Crane. For bringing me here. I know you said you were coming alone and the invitation was so unexpected. So thank you."

It wasn't a lie, for once.

The smile on his face remained, but his eyes grew brighter. "You're welcome, Daphne. It will be nice to spend some time with a friend."

And there it was; the validation that she'd been waiting for. She really was his friend, and he was hers. He had no idea how much those words meant to her. She was so relieved that she almost cried. Mercifully the tears were kept at bay.

He walked into the cabin, dropping his luggage to the floor with a final and defiant thud. Daphne gave a small smile and followed him, stepping inside just as he turned on the light. She'd been here before, of course, but she'd forgotten how lovely it really was. How beautiful…

"Come on, I'll show you to your room."

Taking her bag and purse, he led her upstairs and down the hallway, where they paused momentarily as he opened the door. She stared into the room in disbelief. It was even bigger than her room at his brother's and much more beautiful. It was rustic, to be sure, but it had a touch of elegance, as only a cabin owned by Dr. Crane could. The wooden walls housed similar warm log wood furnishings, including a large rocking chair and a four poster bed, dominated the room; adorned with plaid patterns in green, red and blue adorned the matching bedding. Pillows were piled onto the bed, each in a shade complimenting the fabrics.

But it was the large window in the center of the room and its view that took her breath away. The snow-capped mountains, framed by autumn-hued trees and the mixture of fading sunlight and clouds beckoned to her and she let out a small gasp, feeling its pull as she moved toward it hypnotically.

"I'll leave you to unpack." He said quietly, momentarily breaking into her thoughts.

"Thank you." She replied, low and heartfelt. She looked at him but for a moment before she turned back to the window as he closed the door. "Thank you." She said again, this time to the closed door.

She knew what a mistake it had been to come here mere moments after they'd left Seattle, not long after it had started to sink in that she was in love with a married man, a man she could not have. And yet she was about to spend a weekend with him.


	10. Chapter 10

She couldn't ask him to drive her back. She wouldn't. Not only because of the obvious inconvenience that it would cause him and not even because he would think her bloody insane. The reason was a selfish one. She wanted this mistake more than she'd ever wanted anything in her life.

The drive to the cabin had been pure agony; the guilt, the fact that she couldn't have him. But she took small comfort in the fact that at last she had finally found love, even if it was a love that she couldn't have. She knew… really knew what it felt like to be in love; deeply in love, even though that love was far out of her reach.

She could blame and punish herself for missing something that had been staring her in the face for six years, but she would not punish Dr. Crane. She refused to punish him. This wasn't his fault. It was her fault for being so stupid. For not seeing love when it was right in front of her face.

And now it was gone.

But perhaps she could still love him. Yes, that's what she would do. She would love him for this weekend. If she was to give herself this gift, she would not think about the fact that she would have to give him up; not for two precious days. Nor would she burden Dr. Crane with her feelings. If she truly loved him she owed it to him to simply enjoy the company of his friendship. But she had to do a better job of it.

He seemed so uncomfortable on the drive to the cabin. Usually it was she who did most of the talking, running her mouth constantly until she was certain that he was annoyed (although he would never admit it) and want her to shut up. But this trip was different. She had to remember that. He'd come on this journey to relax and the last thing she wanted to do was to burden him by being a composite of one of his patients.

She turned to the window once more, allowing her to be held by the magnificent view; the layers of mountains sparkling with fall colors, distinctly framing a sun-shimmered lake. It was a private world of glittering magic.

"Thank you." She whispered once more to the man who had given her so much; this wonderful view, a beautiful snow globe that touched her heart and allowed her to focus her love for him on something that was almost as beautiful and easier to hold onto. But most of all, he'd given her his friendship and that meant more to her than anything ever could. Because without his constant friendship, she was nothing.

Nothing at all.

She moved away from the window and began to unpack. It was a good thing that she hadn't brought much with her because the right side of the dresser was filled with clothes. Even after six years she had no trouble recognizing them or at least knowing Niles' style to know that the clothes were most certainly his.

She smiled, seeing that it was an excessive amount of clothing for someone who most likely only came to the cabin a few days a year. And this was the guest room. It was probably overflow from whatever clothing didn't fit in the master bedroom drawers and closet.

She ran her hand lightly over a pile of sweaters, a gesture that strangely provoked a memory. When she had been here before, she only stayed long enough to talk Donny into going to a bed and breakfast down the road. Niles had been at the cabin of course-with Roz. At the time, Roz and Niles' actions (the kissing in particular), suggested that the two of them were dating. She had no real feelings about it but it confirmed her decision to take her relationship with Donny to the next level.  
>Now she wondered what exactly happened between Niles and Roz. If his brother had been right, then Niles might still have been in love with her then. But his relationship with Roz signaled that he was (or already had) gotten over her.<p>

She took the sweater from the top of the pile (a wool sweater in a soft shade of blue) and held it to her face, inhaling the crisp masculine sent. Instantly the image of Niles' face appeared and she wondered yet again. How could someone who had been in love with her for so long marry so quickly and so easily?

Because of Donny of course.

Occasionally men gave up the person they loved to find someone else. But when Donny proposed, Daphne had gone to Niles' office and practically begged him to support her decision not to marry Donny. He seemed to almost believe her story about having a vision that Donny wasn't the right man for her. She could see the way he hesitated before speaking. But ultimately he'd sided with his brother and father.

_Why…_ She wanted to ask. _Why?_

At the time she assumed that he had done so because he cared about her. Now she knew that it was because he loved her and wanted her to be happy. He loved her enough to push her into Donny's arms, just as he had years before when he loved her enough to push her into Joe's arms.  
>She sighed as the ache in her chest grew. If only Niles had loved her a little more selfishly.<p>

Hesitantly she returned the sweater to the drawer and closed it. She would not wear it; not now and not tonight when she went to bed. She was making up rules as she went along, but they were rules just the same. Rules that couldn't be broken.

She turned once again to the picturesque mountains outside of her window.

_What if…_

So many _what ifs_….

What if she were to tell him how she felt? What if she were to prepare herself, both physically and mentally for the fact that he may have fallen out of love with her, and yet opened herself up to the possibility that he had not? For years he had been in love with her, but something prevented him from speaking. What if that something was still keeping him quiet? What if their silence was not protecting him but hurting them both?

She would never know what made her take off her shoes and creep down the stairs to find him. It was as though she had known what she would find when she reached him. Perhaps a vision that occurred only in her subconscious.

And finally she reached the living room.

Niles was sitting in a chair in front of the cold fireplace, his packed bags on the floor next to him. He did not see her and from the expression on his face he most likely wouldn't have seen her had she come all the way into the living room and stood directly in front of him.

But when she looked closer her heart stilled.

He was holding his wedding ring, turning it over and over in his fingers, staring at it as though searching for something. He was looking at the ring in the same manner that she was looking at him. With deep love mixed with the pain of wanting something that he could not have.

He was missing his wife.

He brought the ring to his lips and kissed it, never noticing as Daphne burst into tears and returned to her room; her questions now answered.


	11. Chapter 11

It was much later when she returned to the living room, trying to keep her demeanor as casual as possible. She made sure to keep her eyes downward so that Niles wouldn't notice that they were swollen and red-rimmed. Earlier she'd been silent but now she made an effort to be visible. She helped with dinner and then bombarded Dr. Crane with questions, barely giving him a chance to answer one before asking another. And he'd answered them all, regarding topics such as the lake, the cabin and the general geography and history of the land. By the time they'd finished dinner, Daphne knew as much about the area as he did.

When the dishes were clean and put away she wandered through the cabin, amazed at its spaciousness despite its small size. She found herself in his library, which wasn't quite as impressive as his enormous library at The Montana, but impressive nonetheless. He'd followed her here, saying nothing as he sat down on the leather sofa and picked up his latest read, slowly turning the pages. Her eyes moved about the room and she could feel him watching her studiously, almost the way his brother did when he feared that she was close to breaking one of his precious objects that filled his home.

She moved about the room, wringing her hands nervously as she had done so often since he'd unexpectedly shown up at the Elliott Bay Towers… and saw her in her worst possible state. But now all of that seemed forgotten, at least for the moment.

"May I look at your books, Dr. Crane?" The question seemed silly and she felt a bit like a child asking permission from her mother. But she knew him well enough to know that he did not like people touching his possessions any more than his older brother did. And so it was best to tread carefully when asking such a huge favor.

"Of course, Daphne. Help yourself."

She smiled at his thoughtfulness and generosity; for she knew that he would never reserve the same kind of trust to most people. It warmed her heart, knowing that she was one of the chosen few that he had come to trust, as she trusted him with everything she had; even if that trust only went as far as friendship.

He was married, after all.

As she perused the library the thought quickly left her mind and she ran her fingers over his collection of works by Middle Eastern poets. She knew nothing about them of course, but the books fascinated her just the same. His tastes were so different than hers, when it came to books and just about everything else. While he had sophisticated tastes, hers were much more laid-back. She knew that he would never find any of her romance novels interesting. And if he were ever to read one, she was certain that he would find the heroine far more desirable of a companion. Daphne and Dr. Crane were simply too different. It was evident even here in the comfort of his cabin, far away from everything. He was dressed impeccably, while she had opted for a green and yellow sweater (a purchase she'd made at a local department store-on clearance of course) and a pair of worn (but comfortable) jeans.

She continued to search through the books until she spotted something unusual on the top shelf; a flat brown box with yellow script. "What's this?" As she reached for the mysterious object, the hem of her sweater rose just a bit, and she felt a slight chill as the air hit her bare flesh, just above her waist. Her eyes darted to Dr. Crane, who quickly took a swig of his wine. She realized at once why he seemed so uneasy. Who wouldn't, if they were married to someone else and were forced to catch a glimpse of bare skin of their father's physical therapist? Well, probably no one but Dr. Crane. But one thing was for certain. She'd made him uncomfortable. What was she thinking, bringing such a revealing sweater on their trip?

"Do you need some help, Daphne?"

Her hand was still frozen on the box, her thoughts returned to the present task at hand, and she continued to reach with her fingertips. "No, thanks. I think I've got it."

"What have you found?"

She stretched even further, carefully to hold the edge of her sweater with her hand and pulled the box down, examining the cover. "It's a puzzle."

"Um… Not really. Not considering that you are so… Oh! You mean the puzzle! Yes, I'd forgotten that I have that!"

His words made her laugh, reminding her of the way he'd reacted when she'd mentioned his glockenspiel on the rainy night at his mansion… as though he'd been thinking of something else. But that was… impossible, wasn't it?

She looked down at the jigsaw puzzle she held in her hands. "His last Term as Governor. A Crime Scene Mystery." She read, sitting next to him on the leather sofa.

"How interesting. I've never seen anything like this before."

His book forgotten, he set it aside and gave her his full attention. "You get clues from the puzzle to solve the mystery." He explained. "I bought it last year for Dad so that he'd have something to do while he was here in case it got too cold to go outside."

Daphne laughed. "Too cold? Your father will complain about his daily walk with Eddie if the temperature drops below 60 or a single raindrop falls from the sky, but he'll sit on a block of ice for eight hours if you put a fishing rod in his hands!"

This made Niles laugh and she felt strangely triumphant.

"You're right about that. He was certainly enjoying himself on that ice fishing trip."

Daphne smiled at the memory of Niles dressed in his Eddie Bauer, Polo and Timberland ensemble, which made Frasier roll his eyes. But Daphne wasn't fooled. Niles clearly wanted to impress his father, having gone out and purchased every type of outdoor necessity in order to accompany Martin and Frasier on an ice fishing trip.

"It certainly was nice of you to offer to go with your father, Dr. Crane."

When she turned to Niles, his eyes held a faraway look. "We said _I love you_ for the first time in years on that trip."

Daphne wasn't sure if he was speaking to her or just thinking out loud, but her heart warmed seeing him like this. And for the first time in days, she felt a burst of happiness for him. And that happiness was laced with selfishness. She complained about Martin… a lot. But deep down she loved the old man as much (if not more) than her own father.


	12. Chapter 12

She returned her eyes to the box, realizing that she was wasting valuable time. She had to remember that in just two short days she would have to give him up. The wonderful, sweet and sensitive man who sat beside her, would no longer be hers. But she couldn't think about that now.

"_Super Sleuth_." She read. "What does that mean? Is this some sort of advanced version?"

"Yes. I wanted to challenge him."

Daphne grinned. "You wanted your father to sit down and shut up for a while, didn't you?

Niles chuckled. "Yeah, I guess I did."

"What do you have for your brother?"

Niles picked up a blue leather-bound book. "_Orson Wells. The Road to Xanadu_ by Simon Calllow. Witty. Very long. Extremely long."

Daphne laughed once more and went back to examining the puzzle box. "This puzzle is only eight-hundred pieces!" she observed, trying to hide her disappointment.

Niles grinned. "Well I didn't want him to stay here forever."

How was it possible for a man who, unbeknownst to him had broken her heart by marrying someone else, had managed to make her laugh and feel such warmth inside? Her energy suddenly renewed, she poured the contents of the box onto the coffee table. "Well, it looks like fun. Shall we?"

They sat in silence, bringing the overturned puzzle pieces to their upright positions but then he stopped and picked up the accompanying booklet. "His last term as Governor." He read. "It was an early autumn morning at the Governor's mansion…."

As he read, she stopped turning over the puzzle pieces and lay back against the sofa, listening to his every word. "I love it when you read to me."  
>He turned to her with wide eyes, wearing a look that she couldn't describe. But it was clear that he wanted to her to elaborate.<p>

"Do you remember, Dr. Crane, the last time you read to me? You were taking those silly kickboxing lessons and you came over to demonstrate. Only me arm got in the way and I broke me wrist. Oh, I don't blame you at all, so don't even think it. It was so sweet the way you took care of me, reading to me and-."

She looked at him again, alarmed to see that his face had turned a pale shade of grey, like the life had somehow drained out of him. It was a side of him that she knew all too well. Her hand went to his shoulder, the other to his knee.

"Dr. Crane! Dr. Crane, are you all right?"

He said nothing but continued to stare at her as though he'd had the shock of his life. And his paleness was something that Frasier would certainly get a laugh out of because Niles was already-

"Dr. Crane!"

Panic filled her, for this was much more serious than the last episode, which had happened in the car just hours earlier. She ran out of the room and seconds later ran back out again, gently pressing a paper bag against his mouth. It was an old technique that she hadn't used in years, and not since she'd been in England, but as the bag slowly inflated and deflated, she knew it was working. She leaned into him, her hand on his chest, stroking it slowly and repetitively, coaxing his breath and heartbeat to follow her rhythm. She removed the bag and his eyes met hers, causing her to smile.

"There now. Feeling better?"

She forced her voice to remain calm and in-control; the way only a health-care provider could, but inside her own heart raced, not quite over the fact that she could have lost him. And that thought increased her heartbeat even further, bringing stinging tears to her eyes. She couldn't lose him, not now. Not when….

She forced the somewhat irrational thought from her mind and spoke slowly; her hand still on his chest. "Perhaps I'd better get you into bed." The second the words were out, her own eyes widened at the way they must have sounded and she quickly tried to reword her thoughts. But he spoke first, seemingly unfazed by what she had said.

"I'm fine." He wheezed out.

She regarded him carefully, hesitant to remove her hand from his chest. Having it there, feeling his rhythmic heartbeat, was a reminder that he was still with her. "That was the second time today." She whispered softly, still aware of his steadily beating heart. The words were meant out of concern, but his expression told her that she'd hurt him yet again; as though she was intruding on his private life.

"Dr. Crane, I-."

Almost forcefully he sat upright, causing her hand to fall from his chest to his arm. "Why don't you like Mel?"

She could not have been more stunned had he dropped to one knee and proposed, and it took almost a full minute to comprehend what he was asking. The question came out of nowhere and she wondered if this latest "occurrence" was due to the fact that he was missing his wife. She had no idea how to answer him and her hand fell from his arm. She moved away, feeling guilty and uncomfortable.

"I.."

Whatever she said next must be worded carefully. She thought back to before when the brunch that Niles had so carefully planned for Mel at Frasier's had gone horribly wrong. Daphne's drunkenness had caused her to speak of his then-girlfriend so harshly and now she struggled for the words that would make it right. "Tell me about her." She urged, surprising herself with the request. "Perhaps I just don't know her well enough."

His hardened expression became soft and the glimmer in his blue eyes returned. "Well, um… she's very witty. Why, just the other day she said something that was remarkably clever, but now I can't…"

She waited patiently for him to continue, not really wanting him to continue. But he remained silent for a long time, as though trying to remember the moment. "I forget." He said slowly. "But, she says things like that all the time."

Daphne smiled, determined not to think about the fact that he was speaking about his wife.

"Um… as you know, she's very attractive." He went on.

But despite Daphne's efforts, she bit her lip to hide its quivering and willed her tears to remain at bay.

"Yes she is."

"She's brilliant, of course. This… um… conference in Atlanta… It's only for two days but she's, um… staying on to do some work to help out in their hospital. They wanted an established and well-known plastic surgeon."

Daphne nodded in agreement. "Then she must be very good."

"Yes, one of the best. Maris sang her praises to Mel all the time and Maris was definitely not an easy person to please. I learned that the hard way."

Her chest tightened and she wanted so much to take his hand. Hearing the way he spoke so proudly of his wife, after the pain he'd gone through with Maris… there was no longer any doubt in her mind (not that she'd ever doubted him before) that he was deeply in love. Unable to look at him any longer she resumed the task of turning over the jigsaw puzzle pieces.

"Mel makes me feel that I can achieve great things." He went on, the pride soaring in his voice. "That I can be someone important. Someone special. Successful."

_Dr. Crane, you're all of those things_. She wanted to say. _You're all of those things and more. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. _But before she could even begin, he added…

"She's perfect."

The pain in her chest quickly spread to her forehead where it slowly began to pulsate and throb. And then she asked the question that she never dared ask, knowing full well that the answer might, and would shatter her heart beyond repair.

"Are you happy?"

As she waited, she kept her hand on his arm, listening to the soft rhythm of his breathing.

"Yes. I'm happy." He finally answered. "I'm happier than I've ever been in my life. I am in love."


	13. Chapter 13

She turned her head quickly but not quickly enough for tears to make their way onto her cheeks and splash onto the sleeve of her sweater. She worried about what she would say, but Niles seemed so distant at that moment, most likely thinking about his wife, that he didn't notice her at all.

"I hope that your happiness will last forever, Dr. Crane."

"Thank you, Daphne. That means a lot to me."

When she felt him looking at her, she turned her head once more and gently brushed the tears way from her fingertips. And when she was calm, she returned her attention to the puzzle pieces. A single piece remained unturned and as she reached for it, Niles did the same. Their fingers touched and she felt something deep inside; something she couldn't explain. And she wondered if he felt it too.

"Did you feel that?"

Niles nodded. "Yes. We made a spark."

"We made a spark." She whispered, their fingers still on the puzzle piece, still touching. And then their fingers moved closer together until the touching became holding

Slowly they gazed up at each other, neither of them daring to speak. Her heart was beating so quickly that she began to feel faint.

_He's going to kiss me, oh my God… and there's no one around to witness it, no excuses or hidden_ _meanings_.

All comprehension and reasoning left her at that moment. He moved closer and closer. His breath was on her lips, warm and light and then-.

She was on her feet, desperately fighting her emotions. "It's time for me pills. Excuse me, Dr. Crane."

She fled, aware that he was attempting to follow her. But then he stopped at the foot of the stairs, as though he knew it was wrong. Her hand covered her trembling mouth and she hurried down the hallway, barely reaching her room before the tears became unbearable muffled sobs.

As she leaned against her closed door, she heard him moving down the hallway. Her ear pressed against the smooth cherry wood that separated them, she could hear him talking softly; muffled words that were directed toward her but perhaps were not meant for her ears.

"Tell me, for God's sake. Tell me what's wrong. Please, talk to me."

She hesitated for a few moments and then opened the door. As she expected, the hallway was empty. But when she looked to the right, her eyes fell to the credenza in a beautiful cherry wood finish. Upon it was a glass of water, along with a note that read simply:

_For your pills_.

Once again the sobs overcame her and she held the note in her trembling hand, bringing it to her lips for a kiss. She entered her room and closed the door, crossing its length. The water was placed on a nearby table and she sank into the plush chair in the corner of the room, leaving her pills untouched.


	14. Chapter 14

When morning came, she was curled in the arm chair by the window, her legs tucked beneath her. Despite the cold weather outside, she was warmed inside and out by Niles' blue sweater. She had succumbed.

Dr. Niles Crane. A few months ago, she could not have imagined feeling so differently about someone whom she had known for so long. A man, who in the course of so many years, had become her best friend. It was as ridiculous as the thought that she could fall in love with Frasier or Martin... or even Eddie. She ran her hand lightly over the sweater, taking in its softness. Ridiculous or not, this man had taken possession of her heart. No, not taken; for he had never asked. But she'd given it to him just the same.

Dr. Niles Crane. Mr. Crane's thoughtful youngest son. Donny's client. Mel's husband. Daphne shuddered at the harsh reminder; Mel's husband.

_Oh God..._

Sooner or later she'd had to face up to what had almost happened last night. To face up to what she had almost done. When had things gone so horribly wrong? A jigsaw puzzle... Nothing could be more innocent. Just she and her best friend, sitting side by side, as comfortable with one another as they had been before... Before Mel. Before Donny. And before his brother spilled Niles' secret, thus changing Daphne's life forever.

Niles had kissed her a few times... on the lips-and those kisses were always in friendship, even deceit. But she never gave much thought to how soft and warm his lips felt on hers. Now she noticed even more about him. That his arms, when he hugged her, provided more comfort and security than seemed possible from someone so slenderly compact.

The sweater had fallen from her shoulders and she shivered, pulling it back on. She shouldn't be thinking about his arms or his lips or any other part of him. He was married and as much as it hurt,she had to remember that. To forget, even for a moment, could prove disastrous. He did not love her, at least not in the romantic sense. He loved Mel.

The one time she faltered, allowing herself to believe that he loved her in a different way, it had serious consequences. He'd struggled for breath; his eyes glassy and terrified, frightening her beyond belief. Even after the scare had passed, her hand remained on his chest, anxious and in need of his breath. She simply could not let go.

And then he startled her even more._ Why don't you like Mel?_ He had asked, the question adding to her guilt. She should have known that his answer to her request that followed..._ Tell me about her.._. would sting. Of course he'd be thinking about his wife; had been thinking about his wife since before he arrived at the Elliott Bay Towers. And she deserved the sting, listening to him list all things wonderful about his wife. He went on and on, each compliment unknowingly stinging her further. She had lied to him, had lied to the man she loved. And when he was finished with his praise of the former Mel Karnofsky... Now Mrs. Niles Crane... She asked the question that would hurt her most of all;

_"Are you happy?"_

_"I'm happier than I've ever been_." Was his reply. "_I am in love." _

And then she felt compelled to answer; to say the words that a best friend should say. I hope that your happiness will last forever. Their hands joined and they made a spark. A spark that nearly led to something beautiful. Something wonderful, something completely forbidden.

He had looked at her with such tenderness that she felt the pull of his gaze as he moved closer and closer. It was like a dream about to come true. But the sudden, silent reminder that she needed to take her thyroid pills shattered the dream like a fallen crystal vase.

Like a child, a coward, she'd returned to her room and began to sob, only to find that an angel in the form of her best friend had silently pleaded with her to talk to him. And she wanted to. God, how she wanted to. There were so many things that she wanted to say. So many things that she needed to say. But instead she said nothing.

After staring at the note and the glass of water for what seemed like hours, she finally used water from the faucet to wash down her pills and tried, with much less success, to wash away the tears that were falling faster than she thought possible.

She got as far as undressing, but had no strength left to change into her nightgown. She made her way to the bed and climbed in, holding a pillow to her face as she dampened it with her tears. Her sobs were muffled and she allowed her grief to run its course.

Sometime in the night, she rose from the bed and went to the dresser, opening it to reveal the sweater. And without hesitation she pulled it on, her numb mind knowing that it would bring her comfort. And then she sat in the chair by the window to wait for morning to come.


	15. Chapter 15

Morning did come, bringing dark blue outlines washed with grey, slowly changing to muted colors. And finally the first splash of sunlight, a yellow gold poured onto the enormously tall trees. It was a beautiful sight, but when she shivered, she pulled the sweater closer to her body, knowing that her trembling was not from the cold, but from nervousness.

As she stared out of the window with tired, red-rimmed eyes, the morning silence was suddenly interrupted by sounds that floated under the doorway of her room from downstairs. Dr. Crane was awake. Slowly she stood, wincing at the pain from her cold, stiff legs. She stretched and began to walk toward the hallway. But suddenly she remembered that she was still wearing his sweater. She couldn't let him see her like this. What would he think?

Carefully she pulled the sweater off of her shoulders and folded it, returning it neatly to its home in the dresser drawer. Minutes later, showered and dressed, she came downstairs at the same moment that he emerged from the kitchen, holding a tray of cream, sugar, jams and jelly. The sight of him took her breath away. He was so handsome. And he was married. But she would not cry. Not here. Not now. His pace slowed as they made eye contact. But perhaps it was her imagination... or hope.

"Um... Good morning." His voice was breathless and almost a whisper and she feared that he might have had another anxiety attack during the night. Panic filled her. Oh no... She never should have left him alone.

"Good morning Dr. Crane. I-." She paused, wanting to ask about his well-being and to apologize for her selfishness. She felt a sudden shame, remembering, but trying to forget, when her gentle gesture of massaging his chest had ceased being for his benefit and had instead become hers.

"I'll put this on the table." He announced, disappearing into the breakfast room. Her knees felt weak and she longed for a distraction, finding one almost immediately when she walked into the living room. Her eyes landed on the coffee table where she noticed that several of the puzzle pieces were connected together. The sight made her smile.

"You've been busy." she remarked as he reappeared.

"I hope you don't mind." he replied. "I had trouble sleeping."

_That makes two of us._ she said silently. _But at least your night was filled with something productive. Mine was filled with tears and anguish. _

As she looked at the puzzle again, she realized that he must have been up all night. All four sides of the puzzle were completed and connected. In addition, he had put together three people and the dog. It must have taken him hours. If only she had known.

She returned to the kitchen where she found him standing at the island, mixing pancake batter in a blue bowl. "Coffee?" he asked, turning to her with a smile.

"You're busy. I'll get it."

Still smiling, he poured the batter into metal pancake molds while she prepared two cups of coffee; one with cream and sugar for him, and one black for herself. She handed him the coffee mug and watched breathlessly as he took a sip. He swallowed and stared at her over the mug for several seconds. Oh God, had she gotten it wrong? It was the same way she'd made it for him for years; Since that first day he'd stopped by (unannounced of course), looking for his brother.

_When she'd informed him that Frasier hadn't yet arrived, he simply smiled. Always the gentleman, he apologized for his presence. _

_"Oh, well, I'm sorry to have bothered you, Daphne. I guess I'll be going. But will you tell Frasier that I stopped by?"  
><em>

_"Of course Dr. Crane, but you're welcome to stay."_

_This seemed to surprise him, her small gesture of friendship and he smiled. "Well, thank you, Daphne. I appreciate that."_

_"Would you like some coffee?"  
><em>

_"Coffee sounds wonderful."  
><em>

_"How would you like it?"  
><em>

_"Cream and sugar, please."  
><em>

_She smiled and went to work brewing his coffee, pouring what she hoped was the perfect blend of cream and sugar. And since that day, filled with coffee and conversation, she'd made him hundreds of cups of coffee, in the same manner._

Now she waited anxiously, wondering... praying, hoping that she'd prepared it to his liking. And finally he smiled.

"Perfect."

The praise was a caress that warmed her heart.


	16. Chapter 16

She'd never dated a morning person before, but she'd always wondered what it would be like, watching the sunrise together, making love in the morning light, preparing breakfast with the man she loved.

He sat his mug down and returned his attention to the pancakes. She couldn't help the small smile that formed on her mouth as her imagination flowed. This scene... watching Dr. Crane-or helping him, rather-preparing pancakes was almost domestic.

_She entered the kitchen, smiling at the man she loved. And then she wrapped her arms around him, reaching over his shoulder to kiss him. Their 'Good morning' exchanges would have been stitched together with terms of affection; _

_"Coffee, my love?"_

_"Yes, thank you, Darling."  
><em>

_And then she would have complained playfully about men who wake up at such an early hour, leaving her alone in bed without someone to keep her warm on such a cold morning. Her complaint would be answered with a kiss that left her breathless and-_

"Daphne, are you all right?"

She looked up sharply, catapulted back into reality; the reality in which he was married, and was not in love with her. And laughably she worried that she'd been rehearsing the imagined scene out loud.

"I-I'm sorry...What?"

"I was asking if your room is to your liking."

"Oh... yes, it's lovely. And the view from the window is just-."

"It's incredible, isn't it? Sometimes when I'm here alone or when I've been here with..." he paused as though he wasn't quite certain that he should continue.

"Mel." she inserted quietly.

"Right. Mel. Um, well, I..."

She could see that she'd made him uncomfortable and she reached for the pitchers of milk and juice. "Why don't I put these out?" She retreated into the breakfast room and by the time she returned to the kitchen, the pancakes were ready. After Niles took another sip of coffee, she gently took the coffee cup from him and smiled. "I'll carry this for you. Unless you'd rather me carry the tray."

"Nonsense, Daphne. Allow me."

Their fingers brushed against one another, momentarily knocking the breath out of her. Once again she returned to the breakfast room, placing the coffee mugs by the place settings and filled their bowls with scoop fulls of freshly cut strawberries. He had placed the fluffy pancakes on a platter, fanning them out into a beautiful crescent. The sight made her smile. He was always so articulate and artistic about everything, always making sure that things were presented in a grandiose fashion. He was so much like his older brother and yet so very different.

She paused, admiring the elaborate display of white milk, orange juice, red strawberries (no doubt fresh from Pike Place Market) in a beautiful crystal bowl, the scent of the golden pancakes and rich coffee floated toward her. "This is absolutely lovely, Dr. Crane." she remarked as he pulled out her chair, allowing her to sit. "You certainly outdid yourself."

He smiled and pushed a small jar of apricot jelly toward her. He was always so thoughtful, remembering not only that she preferred jelly instead of syrup, but even the flavor and brand that she liked. Almost immediately she took a bite, savoring the buttery sweetness of the combination of pancakes and jelly.

"How are they?"

She sighed, wanting to savor each bite. "Mmm... Just wonderful, Dr. Crane."

But she wasn't just referring to his expertise in cooking. She was referring to him as a person. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. He looked so handsome in his maroon button down shirt and dark slacks. Deep colors suited him. She loved the way he looked in maroon, blue, black, white, green, gray, brown...

"Daphne, may I ask you a question?"

She looked up, brought back to reality once more. "I'm sorry. What?"

"May I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Would you say that we're friends?"

The question surprised her, worried her, and she lay her fork on her plate, staring at him in disbelief. Why would he ask such a thing? And what kind of answer did he expect? She swallowed hard, taking a large sip of her orange juice. "Well, unless you've changed your mind..."

The brief silence that followed was deafening, until finally he spoke.

"Nonsense. I would never- I care about you, Daphne. I always have and I always will."

Tears welled in her eyes and she turned her head, hoping he hadn't seen. The tears fell onto her cheeks and she quickly brushed them away. Fortunately he was busy enjoying his breakfast. For a second time, she swallowed hard, willing her voice to remain steady. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. I care..." She couldn't go on, as her voice was dangerously close to breaking. But she would not cry in front of him. Since their arrival at the cabin, she'd cried enough tears to last a lifetime.

"I guess what I'm trying to ask you, badly it seems, is... Well, it would mean a lot to me if you would call me _Niles_."

Her heart rose and then sank in anticipation. She couldn't possibly abide by his request. To do so would mean that they had become closer. Niles is what she would call him if she had known months, even years before how he felt about her. And now the feeling was gone. He was married... to Mel.

"I-I don't think..."

"You've called me _Niles_ before, remember?"

Of course she remembered. The night of the Snow Ball. The night he'd asked her to call him_ Niles_ was etched in her memory, just as the words _"To Daphne with love from Niles" _were engraved on the silver base of her beloved unicorn snow globe. The words that were also etched on her heart. But that night also brought feelings of guilt. Because if she had known that his sweet words were sincere-

"Daphne?"

She looked up, brought back to reality yet again. "I-."

"I know it's sudden and you don't have to decide right away, but I wish you would think about it. You're still Dad's physical therapist and Frasier's employee, but in light of all that's happened, our relationship, our friendship, is different now. I've always regarded you as a friend and I hope you will regard me as such."

Of course he was her friend. He was her best friend. He was the best friend she'd ever had. But she couldn't say the words for fear of saying too much. Adamantly, albeit absently, she shook her head. "Dr. Crane..."

In response he nodded, displaying a sad smile. "Ah well, I guess I have my answer. I just hoped that maybe-."

Boldly she reached across the table for his hand, knowing all too well how dangerous it was to touch him, to feel his soft, masculine skin next to hers. "It's just not the right time." She had no idea what her answer meant, but it was an answer nonetheless. And not an untruthful answer.

"Of course." he finally said. "I understand."

But she could see that he did not.

"Dr. Crane, my calling you by your formal name certainly doesn't mean that we're not friends. Why would you question it?"

"I'm sorry,Daphne. We _are_ friends. _Good_ friends. And we'll always remain friends, no matter what. I guess I... well, you don't seem like yourself lately. I don't want to pry but I'm worried about you. I thought that perhaps if you felt comfortable enough to call me by my first name, you would feel comfortable enough to tell me what's bothering you. I want to help you."

She couldn't help herself. She hugged him, increasing the danger even further. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. That means so much to me." She closed her eyes and squeezed him a little tighter, allowing herself to believe that he was hers, if only for a moment.

But the moment lasted mere seconds. He drew back almost immediately as if to remind her that he belonged to someone else. And by repeatedly calling him by his formal name, they were destined to remain friends... close friends, but nothing more.

He was looking at her now, no longer wearing the sad smile, but still sad nonetheless. She had disappointed him yet again.

"I just... I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. Perhaps..."

He smiled then. "Well, _perhaps_ gives me hope anyway. Thank you,Daphne." His smile became one of genuine happiness and it was a smile that made her insides quiver.

After breakfast he refused her offer to help clear the dishes from the table, despite her insistence. "You're my guest, Daphne. You've helped more than you know."

She wasn't exactly certain what he meant, but the compliment warmed her just the same. "But-."

"You're my guest and I want you to start pulling your weight with that puzzle." He announced sternly. For the first time in days, she laughed out loud. Really laughed.

"You've already done the easy parts!"

He shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "Blame the insomnia. Now get to work."

Daphne laughed once more and returned her attention to the puzzle. While Niles worked in the kitchen, Daphne took advantage of her time alone in the living room to get caught up on the instruction booklet that Dr. Crane had begun reading to her yesterday. It was the background to the murder mystery, complete with the description of the characters and possible motives. But her concentration was faltering and she had barely absorbed the information when he entered the living room, his sleeves rolled up to the elbows. She had to stop herself from sighing dreamily yet again.

"All finished." he announced. "Do you mind if I get something from your room?"

"Not at all."

She studied the remaining puzzle pieces and slowly began to fit them together. As instructed by Dr. Crane, she started with the body. Mr. Crane would have suggested the same thing. To start at the center and work her way outwards, looking for clues nearby. Years of working with the old man had paid off, along with his youngest son's neat piles of loose pieces, coordinated by color and texture placed precisely where he thought they should go. She had to admit that she was proud of how much of the puzzle's body she had accomplished by the time she heard Niles come down the stairs.

"Any progress on the mystery?" He asked.

"Well, there was a broken vase next to the body as well as a broken picture frame with a large piece of glass unaccounted for. Of course they could be red herrings or-." She stopped, rendered speechless at the sight of him.

He was wearing the sweater. _The_ sweater. The sweater that she'd wrapped herself in as she curled up in his chair. She was eternally grateful that she'd returned it to the dresser drawer, but it did nothing to ease the somewhat guilty feeling in her chest.

"O-or not." she stammered, finishing her last sentence.

"Could be." He replied in a voice that was much quieter than usual.

"I hope we can finish this before we have to leave tonight."

"Yes. " He answered, leaning forward from where he stood instead of coming closer. "Um... actually I was thinking that we could leave tomorrow morning."

She gasped, her heart fluttering at the prospect of spending another night under the same roof with him. "It would give us more time to finish the puzzle." she pointed out.

"Are you in any hurry to get back? Because I can-."

"Not at all." she said, a bit too quickly.

"Oh... Um... Great." he responded. "I need to... um... check something by the lake. I won't be long. Will you be all right?"

"I'll be fine."

He left as though in a hurry and she knew that she should be relieved. But the truth was that she had no idea what she was supposed to feel.


	17. Chapter 17

As soon as she heard the door close, she rose from her place on the sofa and went to the window, watching as he walked out the door, pressing his nose against his shoulder. Crazily she felt a tinge of panic. Had he realized that she'd worn his sweater? The scented powder she'd put on yesterday morning along with the hint of perfume had long since faded, washed away by the shower she'd taken in the cabin's luxurious guest bathroom earlier.

Now she watched him as he took long strides down the path toward the lake and he inhaled deeply, as though breathing in the crisp, cold morning air. She gasped when he lost his footing on the path and for a split second she wondered if she should run out and steady him. But doing so would give away that she'd been watching him, like a school girl watching the boy of her dreams. Only Niles Crane was no boy. And dreams were all she'd ever have, even though she was in love with him. Fortunately, his equilibrium steadied him, thus saving her from making a fool of herself.

He continued walking down the path, looking every few seconds at the band of gold around his finger. She wasn't sure if it was strength or pure exhaustion from endless hours of crying that rendered her numb at the harsh reminder that he was married. But at that moment, seeing him eye the wedding ring as though it was a precious stone, she felt nothing at all.

Still, she couldn't stop herself from wondering about the proposal, the ceremony, the impending honeymoon that he and Mel would one day most certainly take. Had he, she wondered, spontaneously blurted out the words "_Let's get married_." to which Mel had simply answered "_Yes._"? Or had he been planning on marrying her for months, having purchased a beautiful diamond encrusted gold engagement and wedding band set from the finest jewelry store in Seattle? And then, under a moonlit sky and a canopy of stars, dropped to one knee and pledged his love for her, showering Mel with kisses when she agreed to become his wife?

Her heart felt heavy and it took her a few moments to realize that he had disappeared from view. She brushed away the hot, unwanted tears and decided to make herself useful. The kitchen, as she should have known, was absolutely spotless, leaving her, as had happened at the condo a few days before, with nothing to do.

A glance at the coffee table reminded her of the puzzle; its mystery still unsolved. She sat down, eager to find more clues. Niles had made incredible progress, having finished over half of the 800 piece puzzle. He had completed the edges, leaving the middle which made finding a match a little easier. Actually a lot easier, as she quickly began to find more and more pieces that fit. Suddenly aware of the time, she looked out the window, seeing no sight of him. But she could tell from the frost glistening on the ground that it was terribly cold out. She wished that he'd worn a heavier coat, instead of his beloved sweater. As silly as the thought was, she worried about him being outside alone in such cold weather. She was always worrying about him it seemed; even though he belonged to someone else.

She pushed the thought from her mind and used his gourmet coffee machine to brew an aromatic bit of coffee and then found the matches by his fireplace, deciding to light a fire. When the fire was burning brightly she returned to the puzzle. As if by magic, the clues were coming faster now, fitting together and bringing a revelation. Of course! Why hadn't she noticed it before?

Her heart leapt with an unfamiliar emotion; a mix of happiness and excitement and then, as if by fate, the door opened. She jumped up from the sofa and hurried to greet him. "Dr. Crane, you'll never guess what I-."

She gasped at the sight of him shivering violently in the doorway while the wind whipped into the cabin bringing with it a harsh chill. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him inside, startled at how cold he was. "My God, you're blue! Come and warm up by the fire while I get you a hot drink!"

He allowed her to lead him to the plush chair which was across from the one he'd been sitting in last night while he held his wedding ring between his fingers, thinking of his wife. Her chest ached, but only for a moment as the feeling quickly subsided. She grabbed a wool blanket from the sofa; a blanket that she'd found in the nearby hall closet, and wrapped it around his shoulders, her fingers brushing lightly over his ice-cold skin and then coaxed him to sit. She raced to the kitchen, returning seconds later with a mug of coffee.

"Here. Drink this while I make us some tea."

"Th-thank you... D-D-Daphne," he said through chattering teeth as she thrust the steaming mug of coffee into his hands. "I-I d-don't know what I was thinking."

"Nor do I." she chided softly. "I thought you were smarter than that, going outside without a coat!"

"Thank you for the-."

"I lit it when you left... without your jacket." she said of the fire. His surprised look made her smile. He should have known that she still had her psychic powers. And then her eyes met his and she gently touched his shoulder. "You silly sausage! I'll be back with your tea."

As she hurried into the kitchen, the scent of cinnamon wafted under her nose. She poured two mugs of tea and returned to the living room. "Here you are."

He took the mug from her and she noticed that he had finished his coffee. "Thank you, Daphne." he said again, his teeth no longer chattering. But he was still shivering, prompting her to briskly rub his shoulders until the shaking stopped. He looked up at her and smiled, but she was still frowning with disappointment. She loved him, there was no denying that, but at that moment she was so infuriated with him that she couldn't smile back. However, she knew that she couldn't stay mad at him for long; mere minutes at best.

"What have you been up to?"

The question not only melted her anger, but it lit a flame of excitement that gave her a burst of happiness if only for a moment. "Oh, you'll never guess!" she exclaimed, her voice sounding like that of a child on Christmas morning. "I think I've solved it!"

"Solved what?"

"The mystery! Just now, before you opened the door! I think I've figured it out!"

He was looking at her in disbelief. "You know who did it? Who?"

"Old Mrs. Ellerby!" She announced triumphantly.

Niles shook his head. "Surely not! Mrs. Ellerby is in her late eighties! The family only keeps her there with them in the house because she's lived there for ages!"

"No, listen!" Daphne said, unable to contain her excitement. Noticing that his mug of tea was empty, she took it from him and handed him hers, which was still full, except for the small sip she had taken of it. She watched as he took a sip, her heart fluttering at the fact that his lips had touched the same mug where her lips had been. It was daft perhaps, but at the moment it was all that she had and she wanted to hang onto the idea as long as possible.

"You were saying?"

Suddenly she realized that her excitement had temporarily lapsed. "Oh yes, Mrs. Ellerby. It was supposed to look like a suicide, right? The Governor's sleeping pills had all been removed from their foil packaging and the foil sheet was left by the chair."

He nodded. "I'm with you so far."

"What we're supposed to assume in the beginning is that someone killed him by giving him his own sleeping pills. But look... Here's one pill that stayed in the package. Blue and yellow, right?"

"Right."

"Come..."

Her excitement renewed, she grabbed his hand, which was now warm from the mugs of coffee and tea. Dutifully he rose from his chair, followed her to the sofa and sat down beside her, the blanket still around his shoulders.

"Now... look closely at the flower pot."

Niles gasped. "The pills!"

"Yes! Nine of them." Daphne replied. "Plus the one in the package. That means that two are missing."

"Hmm... They could be somewhere else."

"Look closely at the Governor's fingernails."

"It's a bit of paper, stuck..."

"Yes, stuck. Look again at the sleeping pills."

Niles' mouth fell open. "It matches the broken safety seal! So the Governor did take his pills after all."

"Right. And he was either asleep or groggy when Mrs. Ellerby came from behind and-."

"Hit him with the vase?"

"Nope. Strangled him."

Niles laughed out loud. "What? No... She couldn't have! I'm not saying that she's not the murderer, but you need quite a lot of strength to strangle someone."

"Right, but wait a minute. Listen to this. First of all, Mrs. Ellerby may be in her eighties, but if you remember, the booklet says that her assumed motive is that the Governor makes his servants work tirelessly to earn their keep. Mrs. Ellerby goes up and down stairs, day after day, mopping the floors before sunrise, changing the sheets religiously and flips the Governor's mattress twice a week."

Niles smiled. "He likes a neat house. I can relate. Although I would never-."

Daphne's hand went to his arm. She knew that he was thinking about Marta and the staff that served him day after day when he was married to Maris. When his eyes met hers she smiled. "I know you wouldn't, Dr. Crane. The point is that, eighty years old or not, you need some muscle to be able to flip a mattress." She pointed to the chair on the puzzle. "Take it from a health care provider. Anyone sitting in that type of chair would have a lot of difficulty getting out of it in a hurry."

"Okay, so she's certainly capable, but surely her motive isn't because he made her clean the house week after week."

"Well that would give her plenty of motive, but it was your father who made me realize what had happened."

Niles eyebrows rose. "Dad? But he's not even here, so-."

"Look." She pointed excitedly to the red lines on the Governor's neck. "Strangulation."

"I see it, but-"

"No, look closer. You can just make out a faint imprint on the Governor's neck, right under the red lines See the shape? It looks like a bone, don't you agree?"

"A bone?"

"The murder weapon was the dog's collar."

"And no one goes near the Governor's dog except-."

"Old Mrs. Ellerby!" They both shouted at the same time.

"She loved that dog." Daphne said.

"And the Governor wanted to put the dog to sleep. You're right, Daphne. If anything would drive Dad to murder it would be if someone laid a hand on Eddie. You've solved it! You're brilliant!"

Daphne beamed with pride. It was the most flattering compliment she had ever received. A man who was ten times smarter than she, calling her _brilliant_. "I am brilliant, aren't I?"

They were sitting side by side, their shoulders touching. How had that happened? And when? It must have happened while she was relaying her theory. They had been caught up in the moment, she guessed.

They were so close to each to each other that if they both turned their heads, their lips might brush against each other and-

_Daphne, stop this!_ Her conscience lashed out silently._ He's married for God's sake!_

As though obeying the voice in her head, the thought of kissing him vanished almost immediately. And then she smiled easily at him. "Spending so much time pouring over old crime scene photos and watching police dramas and action movies with your father certainly seems to have paid off."

Niles chuckled. "Where were you when I needed you thirty years ago?"

Her heart leaped in her chest and fluttered wildly. What on earth could he possibly mean? "I-I don't understand..."

"Frasier and I could have used your brilliant mind on the stories we used to write together."

"You mean your _Crane Boys Mysteries_?"

His eyes lit up in surprise. "Yes! How did you know? Did Frasier tell you about them?"

"No, actually your father did."

"Dad? But he never read them. He always told us that crime solving was for police officers and detectives, not for nosy little boys."

"Well, actually he was just being... Well... Your father. He told me that he used to read them to your mother when she was in the hospital and apparently he became hooked on them. I know that you think those stories are gone forever, but I happen to know that they're tucked away in a neat stack in a box on the top shelf of your father's closet. I wasn't snooping around your father's room, Dr. Crane, I promise. I was just looking for an extra set of sheets for his bed. And when I saw them, I asked him about them. In fact, he let me read a few of them. They're quite good!" Niles fell silent, his gaze dropping to the blanket that was still wrapped around his shoulders. And when he looked up, she saw tears in his eyes. "Oh God, I've upset you! I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane. I never meant... I thought..."

"No." He said, the word barely audible. "I just... I had no idea that Dad ever..."

She brushed the tear from the corner of his eye, and took his hand, squeezing gently. "Your father loves you very much, Dr. Crane. Please don't ever forget that."

Again his gaze lowered and he nodded. "Thank you, Daphne."

She smiled, her eyes moving to the table and the still-unfinished puzzle. And then their eyes met once more.

"Daphne?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think we should stay here for the rest of the week?"

The question stunned her. "You mean here?"

"Yes."

"The two of us?"

"Yes."

"But what about your brother? He's expecting me to clean. And then there's your father's exercises, the laundry and who will fix the meals?"

"You're right, Daphne." he replied in a solemn tone. "How inconsiderate of me."

"Yes." She answered, rather abruptly.

Niles' expression softened. "Yes?"

She squeezed his hand again. "Yes."

They stared at one another and she was yet again surprised by her answer. When she smiled at him, he smiled back. And at that moment, no more words were needed.


	18. Chapter 18

She was sitting on the sofa going through one of Niles' fascinating books when she felt him enter the room. "I was wondering where you'd gone. I thought maybe our mystery solving had worn you out." She said, without looking up from her reading. But when she finally raised her eyes, she saw that he was standing directly beside her, an unreadable expression on his face. A bad feeling came over her, but he quickly shrugged it off, attributing it to her own disillusioned state.

He stared at her for a moment before speaking. "Daphne, I-." But then he paused, as though he wanted to say more but had decided against it. And in the silence that followed, worry crept into her chest. _ Please don't let this be a sign of another attack._

Instantly her hand went to his arm and she looked at him through worried eyes. "Dr. Crane… is something wrong?"

"Um, no. I-Daphne, can we talk for a moment?"

"Of course."

He sat down beside her, his blue eyes gazing into hers. "I, um… I need to go back to Seattle. Right now in fact. That's why I haven't been in here with you. I've been in my room, um… packing."

It was then that she looked down at the floor, noticing for the first time, the briefcase and bag at his feet. Another feeling came over her. One that wasn't quite a physic vision but more of a feeling of understanding and she found herself fighting back tears that rose in her throat. She should have known this would happen. His offer to stay the week was being revoked. It hurt of course. It hurt so badly that she could hardly breathe. But she couldn't really blame him. He was married after all, and she was sure that Mel would be livid, knowing that her husband was staying in his cabin with an unmarried woman. If the situation were reversed, wouldn't she feel the same?

Quickly she shrugged off the thought and gave him her full attention, prying that the hot tears that were now behind her eyes wouldn't surface. As comfortable as she had become with him in the past few days, she still refused to let him see her cry. But when she spoke, her voice was unsteady. "I-I see… Well… I suppose I should start packing then."

"There's no need. It's just for a little while and then I'll come right back. If we're going to stay here for the whole week, I need to make sure that my patients are taken care of."

She was so relieved that her assumption had been wrong that she brushed away the relentless tears, wanting so badly to kiss Niles in gratitude. And this time it was he who was looking at her in concern. "Are you okay? I promise I won't be gone long. In fact, you can come with me if you'd like. I can drop you off at Frasier's so that you can do whatever it is you need to do and I'll run home and then by my office. I'll pick you up and we can be back on the road as quickly as possible."

"I'll stay here."

He seemed surprised at her statement; for once again she had surprised herself. "Alone? Are you sure?"

"Yes. Unless you don't feel comfortable about it."

Now he smiled, his hand reaching for hers, thus warming her heart. "Of course it's all right, Daphne. You're welcome to stay here, and I trust you completely. I just you sure you want to stay by yourself?"

"Yes." The word was harsher than she intended but they both knew what she was thinking. If he dropped her off at home, there was the very real possibility that one or both of them could change their minds. And she needed this week more than he could possibly know.

"Well, if you're sure…."

She took his hand, squeezing gently. He was always thinking of her. "I'll be fine."

"Okay. I just need to grab something from my office and I'll be on my way."

He disappeared but for a moment, leaving her alone with her thoughts but returned before she could even begin to understand her unease.

"All right then. I guess that's it."

"I'll walk you out to your car."

They left the cabin quietly, their footsteps the only sound as they made their way down the porch steps and across the driveway to where his car was parked. They stood facing one another, neither of them knowing what to say. But their smiles made the awkwardness seem a little less so.

"If you need anything, anything at all, just call Karen and Sook Kwen at the bed and breakfast. They cook, cater, deliver groceries and can repair practically anything; from leaky faucets to cars to computers."

Daphne laughed. "I will, Dr. Crane. But don't worry about me. I'll be fine." She neglected to mention that she was already familiar with the Kwen couple, having met them when she'd stayed at their bed and breakfast with Donny.

Niles stood, staring at the ground and then looked up at her. "Well, I-."

"Will you do me a favor, Dr. Crane?"

"Of course."

"There's a blue bag next to me door at home. Could you bring it when you return?"

He was understandably confused as to why she would have a packed bag ready and waiting by her bedroom door. But she wasn't about to tell him.

"Um, yes of course, but-."

"It has everything I need." She added, too quickly. "I hope it's not an imposition. Your brother-."

"Don't worry about Dad or Frasier. I'll deal with them. But Daphne if you want to come along-."

"No."

The hasty answer silenced him and her mind raced desperately, trying to think of something else to say. Instead she stammered. "I-I mean… I hope your father and brother aren't angry. I-I didn't exactly tell them that I was leaving."

"I'll take care of it."

He opened the car door and started to climb inside.

"Dr. Crane?"

He stopped halfway into the car. "Yes?"

"Drive carefully. Please…"

_God, what a stupid thing to say._ _Sounds like something that me mum would say._ If he hadn't thought her daft before, he surely would now. She was still silently cursing her own stupidity when heard him close the car door and walk toward her.

The hug and kiss on her cheek were certainly unexpected and she leaned into him, inhaling his clean scent. She wanted to stay like this forever but she knew it was impossible. However, she found that the hug didn't bring the same painful feeling as the hug he'd given her at Frasier's had.

Yes, this time away had already done her a world of good.

"Thank you, Daphne. And if you need anything-."

"Yes, I know. I'll call the Kwens."

He smiled and touched her arm. "Good. But I was going to say that I have my cell phone with me, so please don't hesitate to call."

She couldn't resist hugging him again. "I will. Now, you'd better go before it gets too late. Go on."

Wordlessly, he obliged, walking around to the driver's side of his car, where the door was still open. Within seconds he had started the engine and carefully backed out of the driveway, waving to her as he drove off.

Daphne stayed where she was, tears blurring her eyes as the feeling of loneliness returned.


	19. Chapter 19

Although the air was warmer than it had been earlier, ultimately it was the chill that brought her out of her thoughts and into the cabin. Niles had taken his blue sweater with him, a fact that both relieved and worried her. But if he was aware that she'd borrowed (and therefore worn) his sweater, he hadn't hinted at the fact, except for the invitation to help herself to anything in his closet in case she needed something to keep her warm. But his concern and thoughtfulness were enough to warm her heart.

Closing the door behind her, she looked around the living room. Without Niles' presence, the cabin seemed darker, lonelier. The drive to Seattle would take two hours, plus the time that it would take him to go to his office and take care of whatever needed taking care of, go to the Montana and gather his things, and then stop by the Elliott Bay Towers to get her luggage, hopefully avoiding a confrontation with his brother or father. It would be a while… a long while… before he would return. He'd promised to be back before sunset but that was hours and hours away.

Now she was left with nothing but time.

Time.

How ironic that just a day ago, she found herself in the same situation; surrounded by nothing but time and space. It seemed surreal that she would be here now, in the home of the man-her best friend- who (Unbeknownst to him) was the cause of her breakdown. But he wasn't to blame. He couldn't possibly be blamed for falling in love with someone else. It happened to people every day.

It had happened to him. It happened to her.

It just… happened.

The familiar ache in her chest returned and tears spilled onto her cheeks but she made no attempt to brush them away. There was no need, for she was alone; away from the world where no one would see her.

As she moved aimlessly about the cabin, she studied each and every area as though seeing it-really seeing it for the first time. There were a few pictures scattered about; some of Mr. Crane and the elder Dr. Crane and even a few of herself; all of them posing together at various events or holidays. Christmas, birthdays, other occasions. But it was hard not to notice that there was none of Mel (or even Mel and Niles) that she could see. She found it odd, the lack of personal touches in regards to his wife. But she wasn't in a position to question it, even if he had been there to ask. She was certain, however, that soon the cabin would be filled with pictures of the happy couple.

With a sigh and the determination not to think about him (or his wife), Daphne wandered into the kitchen to make a pot of tea. Surprisingly, he had a vast variety; all of her favorites. She'd never known him to be very fond of tea, preferring coffee and of course wine.

After a careful decision she chose her most favorite of all, Wittier English Spice, and carried the steaming cup into the living room. Once again she marveled at the irony of having so much time to fill, when she'd been doing the very same thing just yesterday in Seattle.

What could she do to occupy her time? Cleaning was out of the question. She was clearly a guest here and even if she were to clean, she was sure that her efforts wouldn't quite be up to Niles' high standards. Oh, he'd never admit his disappointment of course, but the evidence would surface eventually. It was best to forget about cleaning for a while-a long while.

Besides, just as he had done at his home at the Montana, he almost certainly had a reputable cleaning service that met his needs. From the pristineness of the cabin, whoever was tending to his home in the mountains was well worth the money.

And then it hit her. Of course… The Kwens. She should have known. They probably catered to Niles' every whim and he surely paid them accordingly. She wouldn't have been at all surprised if the Kwens were the ones who were responsible for the freshly cut strawberries that had graced the breakfast table that morning.  
>She considered giving them a call just to say hello but then thought better of it. Mr. and Mrs. Kwen would surely ask about Donny. They really, really liked him and with good reason. Everyone, it seemed, liked Donny. And she liked him too. She loved him.<p>

The thought made her shudder. _For God's sake, don't think about Donny. Not here. Not now._

Like a granted wish, the dark-haired divorce lawyer vanished from her mind and she looked around the living room, pondering what to do next. There was, of course, the still-unfinished puzzle. But with its mystery now solved, it hardly seemed worth completing. But she stored the idea in her mind for later on the off-chance that she found nothing better to do.

There was always the outdoors. A walk perhaps. But that thought was stored away along with the idea of the puzzle. At least she had two backup options in case she needed them.

She walked upstairs and began to pace the hallway, moving past his bedroom door three times; fully aware that each time she paused but for a moment. Like a child caught in a wrong-doing, she quickly turned and padded down the staircase, where she created a distance between herself and temptation.

But now she was right back where she had started. Stuck with nothing to do.

The bookshelf…. Perhaps she should take another look. Last night it had been difficult to concentrate with Niles there, looking so handsome with a book in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. Extremely handsome.

She willed the image of him from her mind. Just thinking about him gave her the strangest feeling; one that she hadn't experienced since Manchester when she'd first taken notice of the boys. But this feeling was different.

To quell the emotion, she began glancing through the titles and found that most of them were surprisingly intriguing. She felt a rush of pride when her eyes landed on a familiar title; _Perfume_, by Patrick Suskind. She'd read the book years ago and she'd completely forgotten about it until now.

She preferred romance novels, but there was a time when she wanted something different. And because the book was about murder, it certainly satisfied her taste for a new type of read. But she found that she thoroughly enjoyed it.

And now, knowing that Niles had the same book on his shelf made her feel closer to him, as silly as it sounded. Perhaps she could find a way to drop her appreciation for the book into a conversation when he returned. She was sure that he would be pleased to learn that they shared an interest. He always was. It was just one of the many traits that made him so different than his brother.

The one time she had pointed out that she liked a book that Frasier was currently reading, he had barely been able to contain his horror. Later, obviously feeling obliged to discuss it with her, he'd gone to great lengths to insinuate that she had indeed read it, but clearly had not understood it; an assumption that even now burned her to the core.

What a pretentious git.

The bookshelves were lined with the requisite Classics, of course, although these were beautiful leather-bound volumes with black and gold lettering and not the worn, faded paperback copies that she'd read as a child. Hugo, Gothe, Tolstoy, Dickins, Bronte… They were all there, in meticulous alphabetical order.

On a higher shelf sat the book that Niles had bought for his brother and she smiled, remembering the way he'd described it. Curious, she pulled it off the shelf and began to leaf through it. The book certainly was enormous and the print was extremely small. It would take her years to read it, much less understand it. Immediately she returned the book to its place.

There were a large number of books by Simon Callow. It took her a moment to place the name, but then she remembered; The actor. She'd seen him in a few movies and once on stage in London, but she had no idea that he was a published writer.

Further down the shelf there was a massive biography of Orson Wells. But it was the pair of books beside it (also by Simon Callow) that caught her eye; _Acting in Restoration Comedy_ and _Love is Where it Falls. _Heart fluttering ridiculously, she reached for the latter.

_"Love is Where it Falls._" She read aloud. "The tale of a passionate friendship." She opened the cover, surprised to find that the first few pages were blank. Why had she expected an inscription? And two whom? From whom?

Slowly she began to turn the pages, her eyes moving over the words; a_ passionate friendship; a platonic relationship between two people who cared or each other very deeply. _

The wistful side of her might think this book as a coincidence, perhaps; a sign of something that, were he still a bachelor, could still happen.

"_No!"_ Her reasonable side answered sternly_. "It's just a book. It doesn't mean anything. He's a psychiatrist for God's sake and he probably has hundreds of books in his possession; one of every subject imaginable in this library alone."  
><em>

Now that she'd found something to occupy her time, the mystery remained. The question of where to indulge in her reading. The sofa? No, not downstairs. Being down here made her feel cold and alone. Her room? Yes, that was it. But where in her room? The chair? The one where she'd spent the night, wrapped in the warmth of his sweater? No. That didn't seem quite right either.

An idea struck her then. She couldn't remember the last time she'd stayed in bed all day curled up with a good book. It was stupid to wander around the cabin aimlessly as though she were not just emotionally and physically lost.

She was determined to prove to herself that she was still capable of enjoying solitude. And such an occasion called for a special drink to accompany it. But what?

Wine, although a glass of chardonnay or Merlot sounded heavenly, was out of the question. She wouldn't dream of uncorking a bottle of Niles' wine while he was away. As strange as it sounded, wine was everything to him and even if he had told her to make herself at home (which he had), there were some things that were best left alone.

Minutes later, a cup of homemade cinnamon tea in her hands, she felt better. The idea occurred to her that she could just forgo lunch all together and spend the day in her room, reading until sunset.

On her way back to her room she paused once more in front of his bedroom door. In addition to telling her to make herself at home, Niles had said she was free to borrow some more clothing if the need arose. But he hadn't specified that she was limited to the clothes in her room. Well, if he became cross with her for borrowing something that he deemed off-limits, she'd simply use the excuse that he hadn't been specific in his wishes.

Suddenly the urge to open the door was too great.

She stared at the door again as the desire to peek inside became too great and she reached for the doorknob. If her own sleeping quarters were luxurious and had such a stunning view, she could only imagine what his room must look like. She turned the doorknob, almost hoping to find it locked.

Of course it was not.

A rush of air hit her and she walked inside, surprised at what she found. It was not grander, or bigger, nor did it have a better view. It was nice of course, but it was considerably smaller and much plainer. The medium sized window had a rather disappointing view of the mountain-side; the colors muted as though to match the décor of the room.

No longer concerned with the fact that she was intruding, she sat down her book and teacup and slowly opened the wardrobe and dresser drawer. They were empty except for the few items that he must have brought with him.

It confirmed what she had suspected from the moment she opened the door.

Her best friend, the man who was no longer in love with her, had given her his room.


	20. Chapter 20

She was barely into her book when she heard the soft roar of a car motor and the tires crunching onto gravel driveway. Her heart skipped a beat and then increased its pace. Like an excited child she carefully slid a piece of paper into the book to mark her place and then closed it, rising from the bed. She took a quick glance in the mirror, fluffing her hair with her fingers and then hurried down the stairs.

It was well past sunset and the sky was black; a sight that would have (and should have) alarmed her, had she not been so engrossed in trying to read her book. But now she was worried. What had taken him so long? And why hadn't he called? It wasn't like him at all.

When she reached the foyer, she opened the door. He was sitting in his car and when he turned off the engine, she ran to him for a much-needed welcome home hug. He hadn't even been gone for twelve hours but she was surprised at how much she missed him.

She smiled, but her happiness soon faded as their eyes met and he got out of the car, slamming the door in a manner that startled her. His mood was much more somber, angrier than it had been before he went to Seattle just hours before.

She looked down at her appearance, noting the way he was looking at her. Bloody hell, she was a complete mess. In her haste to go to him, she'd neglected to put on her shoes or even a coat. And the chill in the air had definitely returned. She stood there shivering, looking completely daft. What was she thinking? That he'd pull off his coat and put it around her shoulders as he had done that cold December night on the balcony? But to her dismay, he stayed where he was, staring at her.

"I'm glad you're home." She said carefully. "I was worried. I-."

"Sorry I'm late. The roads-." But he said nothing more.

As he removed the piece of luggage from the car he remained fixated on the task, not realizing that she was now standing next to him, helping. It was obvious that he wasn't going to elaborate on his reasons for arriving home later than promised and so she spoke quietly. "Well, you're here now…" Her voice now mirrored his; restrained and yet tense.

They carried their bags inside and stood in the doorway, facing one another. "Are you hungry, Dr. Crane? I know this is your home, but I can make you something. Some tea or-."

"No."

The sharp answer that sounded much like the answer she'd given him when he'd asked her to come with him, stung and she bit her lip, determined not to let her hurt show. "All right. Well, let me help you with these. Maybe when you get settled we can work on the puzzle again. I know that the mystery has been solved, but-."

"I have to work tonight." He snapped. "I didn't get a chance to make the calls that I needed to make."

Stung once more by the harsh way he'd cut her off and the fact that he rejected her invitation, she swallowed hard.

"Oh…." Was all she could muster.

There was something more. Something he wasn't telling her. Something had happened while he was in Seattle, but she didn't dare ask. Still, she wished that he would say something; anything. She couldn't imagine-

"I spoke to Frasier."

The words, although spoken calmly, might as well have been an outburst. But it was just a stated fact, and so she waited. She needed more.

"Yes?"

"He told me that you and Donny broke off the engagement."

Her chest tightened and she couldn't breathe. Couldn't move. Instead she stared at him, expressionless. To show any sort of emotion at all would be…. "I see." She finally said, making certain to keep her gaze steady.

Wordlessly he picked up his briefcase and went into his study, closing the door behind him.

And as she stood in the living room, alone, she knew that there was nothing left for either of them to say.


	21. Chapter 21

It was nearly 2am.

Blinking back tears, she worked diligently in the kitchen, scrubbing away at the plate and silver wear, despite the fact that they were already sparkling clean. It was ridiculous perhaps, but at least it gave her something to do. She glanced at her handiwork that lay neatly on a plate in the center of it. She didn't see it as a bribe, a gift or even a peace offering. It was simply a gesture; something she had always done. A gesture for someone she cared about.

It was when she heard the doorknob turn that she found herself face to face with him. Only, she couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze. Instead she stared at the expensive cherry wood sideboard that sat against the wall. "I thought you might fancy a sandwich."

He said nothing as he moved toward the table and for one split second she thought… or hoped rather… but her hopes were dashed when he quickly turned away, the familiar expression on his face.

"You're angry." Her words were more of a statement than a question.

"I don't know what I am."

"You're angry." She repeated. "I was afraid that you might be. How did your brother know? Because I never-."

"He said that Donny told them when he came to the condo to pick up his cell phone. Apparently Donny left it there when you two… Well, anyway, he told Frasier and Dad."

Her body turned cold. "Are they angry as well?"

"They're worried sick about you, Daphne!" He was trying unsuccessfully to keep his voice calm, but here was no denying the fact that he was angry.

"What… What did you tell them?"

"That I had spoken to you recently and that you mentioned needing time alone. I also told them that I had no idea that you and Donny had broken up."

"And it's all true."

"Right, but I didn't say anymore. I couldn't risk-."

_A nosebleed._ She finished silently. "Thank you… for bringing my bag."

He nodded. "Sure."

"Did you… have any trouble finding it in me room?"

"No, I opened the door and there it was. But I couldn't help noticing…"

"What?"

"On your dresser. I know I shouldn't have looked, but I saw the rings and when I moved closer, I saw that your engagement ring was there too. I don't understand…"

"Donny had asked me to pick them up on Friday morning and…" She paused, willing her voice not to break as she looked at her left hand which was bare. "… And later that afternoon when he came over to get them… it was over. Just like that. I knew you'd be angry."

His eyebrows rose. "Why… did you think I'd be angry?"

She didn't allow herself to think about what he could possibly mean and instead took the question at face value. "Because, Dr. Crane… you… you're loyal! You aren't the kind of man who would leave one woman for another, even if, in your heart you knew that the woman you had intended to marry wasn't the woman you truly loved!"

He was staring at her, complete shock on his face. "Wait a minute… What are you saying? That Donny broke up with you?"

Now it was she who was at a loss. "What? I-." She wanted to say something more, but she had no idea what to say. She averted her gaze and when her eyes met his, she saw anger there unlike any she had ever known could exist.

"That is absolutely… _unforgivable_!" He yelled.

The outburst startled her. She'd never seen him this angry before. He was enraged and although she knew that he wouldn't lay a hand on her, it frightened her.

"Dr. Crane…"

"When Frasier told me, he made it sound… or I just assumed… My God, Daphne. I'm so sorry."

He sat down beside her on the sofa and looked into her eyes. "Daphne, you didn't deserve him. If Donny was such a fool to think that he could possibly find someone better than you, then he deserves to be alone! And to do this so close to your wedding day… He has absolutely no sense of honor or decency!"

Daphne was stricken. "Dr. Crane…"

"Don't defend him, Daphne!" Niles shouted. "He is worthy of nothing but contempt! If he wasn't sure, then he should have never…. That son of a…. He's a lying, insensitive-."

"Dr. Crane, _please_!" Her voice broke and she could barely control the threatening sobs.

"Daphne, that man cannot-."

"Stop, please! I beg of you!" She cried.

He froze, staring at her as her sobs began to surface. "Daphne…"

"This is why I didn't tell you!" She shouted. "I knew you'd be so cross!"

"Oh Daphne…" The gentle hand on her back only served to increase her tears.

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, Dr. Crane! I really am! But I just couldn't stay where I was any longer! Not when I'd lost the only man I've ever truly loved!"

She was sobbing harder now, her face pressed into the thick lush arm of the sofa, the feel of his soothing hand on her back. "Daphne, are you sure that you've lost him?"

"Yes!" She managed to choke out. "H-he loves someone else! I've lost him forever!"

"I'm so sorry."

His words… the words she had come to expect from him… hurt more than he could imagine. If he only knew…

"I can't believe that Donny would-."

"Can we please talk about something else?" She pleaded.

"Of course."

She cried until she was numb and her sobs became shudders; and yet his hand stayed on her back.

"Daphne I'm sorry." He was saying quietly. "I'm so sorry. I've been… so unfair to you. Nothing like the friend I want to be."

She wasn't ready for this conversation. She'd never be ready. But it shouldn't have surprised her, his pushing her like this. He was a psychiatrist and isn't that what psychiatrists always did? The knowledge that he was so concerned made her cry even harder; the painful sobs returning.


	22. Chapter 22

"Hey… I brought you something."

His quiet voice did wonders to calm her and she looked up, watching him go to his luggage. And when he returned seconds later, she smiled. "It's London!"

Niles smiled as he handed her the puzzle box to examine.

"Good Lord, Dr. Crane. It's ten thousand pieces!"

"And I think we should stay put until it's done."

The statement surprised her. "Y-you do?"

"Absolutely."

She smiled the sofa cushion shifting as he sat down beside her. She stared at the colorful puzzle box as though he'd given her an expensive Christmas gift and the thoughtful gesture touched her deeply. But putting together a ten thousand piece puzzle was a daunting task, to say the least.

"It's mostly rooftops." He said as though reading her thoughts.

"So it is." She agreed. Suddenly she'd all but forgotten their earlier conversation. "It will take forever to finish it."

"Then we'll stay forever."

His words held a promise of something that she knew he could not deliver and her smile disappeared, replaced with the pain she'd felt just moments before. But she managed to find her smile again. "Thank you, Dr. Crane."

The silence that followed would normally be thought of as pleasant but now felt awkward. It wasn't right, feeling this way around her best friend. And suddenly the silence was broken.

"Look Daphne… About the puzzle… We have quite a big task ahead of us, so why don't we both get a good night's sleep and get started in the morning, okay?"

Reluctantly she set the puzzle on the coffee table. "All right."

Her conscious pushed at her as she waited for Niles to lock up. She'd done a terrible thing. No, not just one. She had done more terrible things in the past few days than she'd done in her entire life. Breaking up with Donny had only been the beginning. Falling in love with and almost kissing a married man was even worse. But now Niles was blaming Donny for her broken engagement. It wasn't right. But it was impossible to tell Niles the truth.

Ronald Donald Douglas, Niles' divorce lawyer and Daphne's former fiancé, stood accused of a crime that she alone had committed.

Why had it never occurred to her that Niles would find out about her breakup with Donny when he returned to Seattle? Most likely because she'd never given it a thought herself. But now it was the only thing she could think about.


	23. Chapter 23

_She had called off her wedding on Friday morning when Donny had come to pick up the rings. She remembered the scenario clearly, as though it had happened just hours ago. And it almost had, except that it had been a few days…_

_Excitement filled her as she pulled into the parking lot at Robbins Brothers Jewelers. In moments she'd be holding the wedding rings in her hand. As she walked into the store she was greeted warmly by the helpful sales associate, who was the same man who had helped she and Donny pick out their wedding bands months before. But now she could hardly believe the moment was real. In just a short time, she'd be a married woman.  
>Mrs. Ronald Donald Douglas. <em>

_But as Daphne drove home, her mind wasn't on the man who had promised her the stars, but on the man who, through the course of several years, had fallen in love with her. She tried to push him from her mind but she simply couldn't do it. And by the time she arrived home, she was a complete basket case. _

_She'd barely gotten to her room when she sank onto the bed, her tears spilling down her cheeks. How could she possibly do this? Marry one man when she simply couldn't stop thinking about another? It wasn't right. It wasn't._

_The doorbell rang, shaking her to the core and she rose to answer it. "Donny…"_

"_Hey hon." He leaned to kiss her but she flinched as his lips met hers; wishing, as she'd done so many times before… that he was Niles. _

_But he wasn't Niles at all. Donny Douglas was as completely different from Niles as a person could be. Where Donny was brass and outspoken, Niles was quiet and shy. Donny made his living making couples lives a living hell and the success was in splitting them up, but Niles worked tirelessly to bring couples together. _

_She knew virtually nothing about Donny's family and it was asked of her-no… insisted by her future mother in law-that she be addressed as Mother Douglas.  
>But Niles family had become her family as well, if only by association. She lived with them day in and day out and she saw Niles on a daily basis. Although she preferred addressing all three Crane men formally, she knew deep down that she probably could have called them by their first names years ago. Even Niles had insisted that she call him Niles one night while they ate dinner at Frasier's; and that had been shortly after they met. But it didn't feel right then and it didn't feel right now. <em>

_And last but not least there was the most obvious difference-_

"_Earth to Daphne!"  
>She blinked, surprised to find Donny waiving his hand in front of her face. "What?"<br>"Are you alive?"  
>"What?"<br>"You're a million miles away, honey! What's wrong?"  
>She stared at the diamond engagement ring on her finger. They were standing in almost the exact same spot as they had been months before when he lowered himself to one knee and she had accepted his proposal and his promise of stars, only to shatter her best friend's heart.<br>She grasped the ring on her left hand and tugged gently, surprised at how easy it was to remove it. Her eyes met his and she saw what she expected to see… Surprise.  
>"Honey, what are you doing?"<em>

'_Something I should have done a long time ago.' She answered silently.  
>But the words that came out of her mouth were much different. Her fingers trembled as she placed the ring into his hand. "Donny, I can't do this."<em>

"_Do what? Daphne, what are you saying?"  
>Tears filled her eyes and she swallowed hard. "This isn't right. Not when…"<br>He stared at her waiting for an explanation. And her tears began to flow.  
>"Not when I can't stop thinking about someone else. It isn't fair to you... or to us."<br>"Daphne-."  
>"I love you, but…"<br>He nodded, averting her eyes and when their gazes met again, his eyes were shocked and stricken. "I see…" She'd hurt him, just as she had hurt her best friend… Deeply. _

_Donny said nothing else; had not even asked for the wedding rings. He simply took the ring and glanced at it for a second before placing it on the sideboard. _

"_Goodbye, Daphne."  
>She burst into tears as she watched him walk out the door, her gaze falling to the engagement ring. She picked it up and stared at it; the symbol of the end of their love and her life as she knew it.<br>_Now she was ashamed at how easy it had been to put Donny out of her mind. She had loved him so, but not in the way that she had loved the man who had loved her for six years. The man she had wounded so deeply; the man who was her best friend.  
><em>"That's no excuse, Daphne Moon!" <em>Her conscience shouted. She had accepted Donny's proposal when she felt in her heart that she should break up with him. They had made wedding plans and plans for a life together. And then she had stunned him by abruptly ending their relationship days later, sitting passively by while the man she loved placed blame and scorn on her ex-fiancé.

As she climbed the stairs, Niles followed her, switching off the last glowing light. She should come clean with the truth now. She couldn't continue to lie to the man she loved any longer. She should just stop here on the step and turn around; do the right thing and proclaim Donny's innocence.

The steps ended and they were now standing in front of his door. Not his door, but the guestroom door; the door to the room that he had taken in order to give her the nicest room in the cabin.  
>His blue eyes gazed at her and he fidgeted a little as he always did when she gazed back at him. And it had taken seven years to find out why.<p> 


	24. Chapter 24

_Just tell him, Daphne. Just tell him."  
><em>

_"I can't!"_ she whispered to the voice in her head.

Her heart was pounding so furiously that her chest ached. And finally she found her voice… her speaking voice. "Dr. Crane?"

He stopped, concealing a yawn. He looked tired. No… He looked exhausted. But he also appeared calmer-much calmer than he had when he'd returned from Seattle.

The scale of his reaction to the news of her broken engagement had stunned her. She'd seen him angry many times before; most often with his brother. But this anger had been different, and not only because it had been directed at her. It was more than anger. It was… disappointment. He most likely never imagined that she would do something as horrible as breaking a promise to the man who had proposed to her in Frasier's living room. If only Niles knew that her disrespect for Donny in that regard went much deeper.

As they stood in the hallway facing one another, Daphne realized something else. Niles' first marriage ended because his wife had fallen in love with another man. He knew what betrayal was like. It had happened to him. Of course he would be furious if he learned that someone else had gone through the same kind of shame and humiliation. And even more furious if it had been someone that he knew. His father's physical therapist perhaps. But in truth, Daphne was not the victim. Donny Douglas was.

Her conscience told the truth. Even if Niles didn't know the whole story, she deserved every bit of scorn that he threw in her direction. But the look he held in his eyes now was nothing like the look they held earlier that evening. He didn't hate her. His eyes were concerned and tired. And now, watching her as she stood in front of his door, his eyes were also a bit uneasy. It wasn't right to shock him with the truth like this. Not now. Not yet.

"Dr. Crane, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry I didn't tell you… before."

"Daphne, it wasn't my place. I…" He paused, his hand moving as though he wanted to touch her but then it fell to his side. "I know that I should insist that your relationship with Donny is none of my business, and technically it's not. But I care about you, Daphne."

Oh God, she was going to cry again. His words were the kindest most wonderful and painful words he could have said. "Goodnight." She said quickly before her emotions had a chance to escape. She would tell him the truth eventually or he would find out on his own, but at the moment she saw no point in telling him. It would only upset and anger him to learn that she had lied to him yet again. His words from earlier came back to her;

"_I've been so unfair to you. Nothing like the friend I want to be." _

They were words that she should have been saying to him instead of the other way around. But she couldn't do it. Not now. He was so exhausted and he needed his rest. He'd been through a lot; much more than anyone deserved. If only she'd told him the truth right then and there, things would be different now.

She went to her room and closed the door as the tears began to flow. Everything that Niles had said about Donny pertained to her. She was the despicable one. The liar. The only consolation was that he had not insisted that they leave. She was so sure that in his anger over what he'd learned in Seattle he wouldn't want her in his home a moment longer and would waste no time in ushering her into his car to take her back to Frasier's; never to speak to her again. But she could hardly believe her eyes when he had shown her the puzzle. It was more than a token of friendship. It was an unspoken message …. A sign that he wanted her to stay.

Her tears still spilling onto her cheeks, she dropped her luggage onto the floor beside her bed. It was the bag she'd packed for her trip with Donny. A romantic week-long trip to New York City. Donny absolutely hated New York City, but after she'd mentioned that she'd always wanted to visit the home of the Empire State Building, Central Park and Times Square, he'd surprised her with plane tickets. And shortly afterwards, she'd done the worst thing imaginable; she'd broken his heart. No… she'd shattered his heart into a million pieces. How could she do something so horrible to a man who had done something so thoughtful? It was absolutely unfathomable.

Now his shocked and stricken eyes were embedded in her mind, haunting her, successful in their attempt to make her sob uncontrollably. For a split second she considered calling Donny, privately of course. But she couldn't do it. Nobody calls the person whose heart they have just broken to find out how they are doing. She knew how he was doing. He was withering in pain, just as she was doing now, for very different reasons. Yes, time was the only ointment to heal such deep wounds.

She sat on the bed, willing her sobs to become shudders. She had made a mess of things but it was too late to tell Niles that she was the one who had called off the wedding. If she did tell him, she would also have to tell him another truth. When she had said earlier that she had lost the one man she truly loved, she had not been talking about Donny Douglas.


	25. Chapter 25

Hours later, her sobs dissolved and she lay in her bed shuddering as she entangled herself in the sheets. And it was in those exhausting moments when her eyes began to close. But then something happened….

_Her eyes were wide as she looked around the courtroom; which was unlike any courtroom she'd ever seen. In fact, it was hardly a courtroom at all. It was an odd combination of two places she'd come to know very well. On one side was the home she'd lived in at the Elliott Bay Towers for so many years, complete with a stunning view of the Seattle Space Needle in the middle of the skyline. On the other side was another large window; this one with a stunning view of the picturesque mountains that mirrored the view from her room in Niles' cabin. The walls were wooden and warm, just like the place she'd retreated to only a few days before. But how a courtroom could be composed of two very different living spaces; the modern Elliott Bay Towers and the somewhat rustic and yet luxurious cabin in the mountains was beyond her. _

_It was baffling to say the least, but how did she get here? And why?_

A shadow fell behind her and she turned to see a familiar face. Wearing a black judge's robe and a scowl, Daphne's heart began to race.

"_Mrs. Douglas?"_

_The minute she had spoken the words, she regretted them… deeply. She swallowed hard, looking the still-scowling woman in the eye._

_"I thought I told you to call me Mother Douglas!" Donny's mother bellowed._

_Donny's mother… The woman who was supposed to be her mother in-law…. Until she'd shattered his heart. Daphne took a few steps backwards. "I-I…"_

_"Be quiet!" Mother Douglas yelled, her harsh words shaking Daphne to the core. "Do you realize what you've done?"_

_"I-."_

"_You betrayed my son! You broke a promise to him! He promised to love you and promised you the stars and how do you repay him? By falling in love with someone else?"  
><em>

_"I-I'm sorry. I just couldn't help meself! And I couldn't marry Donny... Not when I was constantly thinking of someone else!"_

_Mother Douglas was still yelling, but Daphne was no longer listening. She fell to her knees sobbing. And then she felt someone touching her. She tensed and tried to move away, but then she felt something else; a gentle hand moving through her hair. It was soothing, peaceful. As she stood in judgment before Mother Douglas, the questions came back to haunt her. Why hadn't she broken up with Donny long before they had begun to make wedding plans? Before she knew that the man she truly loved wasn't Donny at all… Before she'd hurt him so deeply? _

_The questions would remain unanswered, but it didn't matter. The damage was already done. It was too late to change things now._


	26. Chapter 26

The bright sunshine was harsh as it bounced off of the mountains and filtered into the window. But it was the impossibly disturbing dream that stung most of all. When Daphne was finally able to focus, she forgot for a moment exactly where she was. But didn't take her long to remember. And when her eyes moved to the clock on the nightstand by her bed; his bed, she bolted upright. How was it possible that she'd slept until almost five PM? Never in her life had she slept so long and her chest ached with panic.

_Dr. Crane… _

_Oh God…_

The last thing she remembered was leaving him in the hallway the night before, closing the door to her room as she dissolved into sobs. She had no recollection of falling asleep, but the dream about Donny, when it had come haunted her. Now she wasn't concerned about what the dream meant, although she was certain that Niles would have been more than happy to interpret. Instead, she was thinking about the psychiatrist himself.

He was, by all accounts, a morning person and must have been up for hours. Had he come in to check on her? Was he angry? Had he decided to spend the day calling his wife?

As quickly as possible she pulled off her nightgown and jumped into the shower, allowing the warm water to sooth her. The bathroom was much more spacious than a guest bathroom should be, and with good reason. This was _his_ bathroom, not the guest bathroom. She stood in the shower, as the soapy water cleansed her, but it was increasingly difficult to keep the thoughts from her mind. They were thoughts that she shouldn't be having; especially about a married man, and most definitely not about Niles. The thought that he'd used this shower was almost erotic if she allowed it to be. But she wouldn't; she couldn't allow herself to think such thoughts. In fact, she would never reveal them to another living soul. Niles wasn't just some man. He was her friend; her best friend. And he was married.

Guilt replaced any serenity she had found in the shower, and she turned off the water, reaching for a luxurious Indian cotton towel and wrapped it around her body. Fortunately the act of leaving the shower brought her back to reality, thus ridding her of anymore inappropriate thoughts.

This was ridiculous, this constant guilt. She had to find him, to explain… it didn't matter if he got so angry afterward that he threw her out and vowed never to speak to her or trust her again. At least that's what she was going to tell herself.

As if by fate a sharp pain like that of a knife pierced her chest. When it came to matters of the heart, the silent lies she told herself hurt even more than the ones she'd uttered aloud.

Dressed in a light blue ¾ sleeve length shirt and a pair of sweats (the most casual clothing she could find), she headed down the stairs, hoping to find him in his office or in the living room. But she found nothing but emptiness. She was about to go searching for him outside when she noticed the kitchen table. On it was a lovely place setting and a note, carefully written in his unmistakable handwriting.

_Daphne, _

_I trust you are well-rested. I was worried about you last night. Lunch is in the refrigerator. I've gone to run some errands. I won't be long.  
><em>

Tears filled her eyes as she read the words on the page. But the message itself wasn't the reason for her sudden emotional breakdown. It was what was written below that touched her heart. For he'd signed his note;

_Love, Niles_


	27. Chapter 27

Her heart was still fluttering when she went to the refrigerator; a top of the line Sub Zero, almost identical to the one he had at the Montana, and opened the doors. Inside were neatly stacked piles of lunch meats (freshly sliced and wrapped in white paper, affixed with a label from a gourmet grocery store), artisan bread and jars of condiments. And of course all the toppings (lettuce, tomatoes, etc.) she could possibly want. She could build practically any type of sandwich she desired, a feat that was previously only accomplished on a trip to an expensive deli in downtown Seattle. Granted, this lunch he had 'prepared' for her wasn't as fancy as their previous meals, but she didn't mind. However, a thought occurred to her, worrying her yet again.

_Oh God…_

Niles would never simply leave lunch in the Sub Zero for her to get on her own. Most likely he had done as he had done before; prepared a beautiful spread on the table with the lunch meats fanned out the way the pancakes at breakfast had been. Oh God…What if he had risen early (as she knew he had) and waited for her to come down to breakfast, only to be forced to eat alone while she lay in bed, exhausted after hours of sobbing into her pillow? And she had still been sleeping when he'd performed the same ritual for lunch. She couldn't blame him for giving up and returning everything neatly to the Sub Zero. She supposed she would be angry too, had she gone out of her way to make a meal for someone only to have them remain absent.

Her hand trembled as she picked up the note again. His name jumped out at her and tears splashed onto the paper, blurring his words; the words that told her that he wasn't angry with her, although he should have been furious.

God how she loved him.

The reality was nothing new, nor was it some sort of breakthrough as the Doctor's Crane might suggest. She'd said the words over and over in her mind, even when she was supposed to be in love with her fiance; wrapped in Donny Douglas' arms.  
>At once the cabin felt as though it was closing in on her. She had to get out of here. But first things first.<p>

Famished, she opened the Sub Zero and removed stacks of bologna, turkey, pastrami, smoked ham and salami, along with cheese of all types; Havarti, Munster, Jack, and Monterrey Jack. With the expert of a skilled chef she assembled the sandwich and brought it to the table along with a freshly made pitcher of iced tea and a plate of raw vegetables. The sandwich was easily three times the size of the ones she'd made for his father, but she wasted no time in devouring it. When she was finished and her plate was empty, she rinsed the dishes and stuck them into the sink, vowing to wash them when she returned.

Her hand reached for her coat on the coat rack and removed his down jacket. It slid easily around her body and she tried not to think about the fact that it had been around his body as well. But it was difficult, given the fact that it held Niles' fresh, clean scent. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, imagining that he was holding her in his arms. The moment soon forgotten she headed outside, but she had barely opened the door when she had a thought.

She returned to the table and turned his note over, revealing a clean surface on the page. And then she wrote a new note;

_Dr. Crane,_

_Thank you for lunch. I've gone for a walk._

And she signed it_…. Love, Daphne.  
><em>


	28. Chapter 28

His coat around her shoulders, she stepped outside wincing at the unexpected blast of cold air as it hit her in the face. It was strange how quickly the weather could change in Washington State, for it was much colder now than it had been earlier. But it didn't stop her from staying where she was. Perhaps the chill would clear her head; or at least knock some sense into her.

Although she'd been here many times before she'd never ventured out of the cabin alone, and certainly never into the wooded areas. And so she vowed to be careful not to venture too far. If Niles had not thought her daft before, he certainly would if she were to get lost in the woods.

As she headed along the rustic pathway, paved in pine needles, small pine cones and dirt, she basked in the shade that was provided by the canopy of enormously tall trees above her. They looked so high that it appeared that they could stretch forever. She breathed in the crisp Cascadian mountain air, which was exhilarating. She could stay out here forever, enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. The sun was still shining brightly through the canopy of trees, the rays beaming down creating sticks of light against the pathway.

But the sun would be setting soon. She really should be going. However, there was no harm in stopping for a bit to rest and enjoy her surroundings. An ancient, fallen tree log provided the perfect place to sit and she climbed onto it to look around. Not just glace at the beauty but really and truly look at it. God, it was beautiful here; the most beautiful place she'd ever seen. Nothing in the world compared to this.

She closed her eyes and listened. The silence was peaceful, serene. But her eyes flew open after a few moments, remembering where she was. Reluctantly she rose from the tree log and began making her way back to the cabin.

If she was worried about becoming lost before, she wasn't now. She'd barely walked ten feet when she saw the lights of the cabin in the distance. In just a few minutes, she'd be home.

Home.

It took her a few minutes to comprehend the word that her mind had formed. Home…

But this wasn't her home, this was Niles' home; the home that he would spend many wonderful hours and moments with his wife, as they made trips back and forth from Seattle. Or perhaps they would choose to live here permanently … as husband and wife.

_Niles…_

The painful ache in her chest returned, along with a few tears which she quickly brushed away. Swallowing hard, she made her way down the path that led to the cabin…

_Home…_

At least for a few more days.


	29. Chapter 29

He was on the porch waiting for her when she returned and when he opened the door wider, she stepped inside.

"Oh, hello Dr. Crane. How was your drive?"

'Um… fine. Fine."

"I'm sorry I wasn't here when you returned. I thought I'd be back before now. I-." His arms were around her, holding her. And she wasn't entirely convinced that it wasn't all a dream. "Dr. Crane? Are you all right?"

He squeezed her gently and then let go, drawing back to reveal worried eyes. "I-I saw your note and I didn't know-."

"I'm sorry. I just needed some air." Her heart was racing from the touch of his unexpected hug and she pulled off her gloves, blowing warmth into her hands. "I'm just not used to being cooped up. Between your father and Eddie and running errands for your brother, I-."

He was removing her coat now-his coat and she shivered, realizing just how cold she was. Her hands and cheeks were numb, but it was the way Niles moved behind her, leaning close as he inhaled deeply that caused her heart to flutter. He was smelling her hair again.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you, Dr. Crane."

"I-It's okay. It's just… You know… Bears, wolves, crickets…"

She laughed and turned to face him. "You're right. The woods can be dangerous. But don't worry, Dr. Crane. I was very careful."

He stared at her for a moment before speaking again. "If you'll give me a few minutes, I'll light the fire for you."

"Thank you, Dr. Crane." She sat down on the sofa, her breath catching in her throat. He was placing the blanket around her shoulders; the way she had done to him when he'd come in, blue from the frigid cold outdoors. Unable to meet his eyes, she studied the puzzle box on the coffee table in front of the sofa. "Do you know what just occurred to me?" When she lifted her hair to allow him to adjust the blanket, their fingers touched and she felt the warmth of his skin against her icy cold hand.

"No, what?"

"That there was a time when you and I were both living in London."

"That's true."

"Yes, but I mean at the same time. We might have even run into each other." When she looked up at him he was moving across the room.

"No, that's impossible. I would have remembered."

"But we could have-."

"I would have remembered."

She smiled and they stared at one another, his blue eyes pulling her in for several seconds until he looked away and busied himself with lighting the fire. Her heart warmed when he placed a mug of hot apple cider into her hands. Carefully she took a sip, taking note of the fact that he'd prepared it just the way she liked it; cinnamon, honey, lemon juice and brandy. She took another sip, immersed again in the picture on the puzzle box. But then she saw him staring at the other object that lay beside it. And then he leaned forward to get a better look.

"_Love Is Where It Falls_." She explained. "I found it on your bookshelf while you were gone to Seattle. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. How do you like it?"

"I'm afraid that I haven't gotten very far, but the first couple of pages are very good." She held the mug close to her face, letting the steam billow around her, providing warmth. "I thought it was sweet, the way he remembered so clearly the first time he saw her even after all of those years."

"Folding laundry."

"No, she was on the phone."

"No, I mean you were folding laundry."

"What?"

He sat down beside her and smiled. "The first time I saw you. You were taking clothes out of the laundry basket. You shook them out and then folded them into piles."

She was staring at him in disbelief. What could have possibly possessed him to-

"I-I might have been. I don't remember."

"I do. I remember it like it was yesterday. You were wearing a long unbuttoned denim shirt with a white shirt underneath and a pair of slim black pants."

The way he was speaking so confidently made her feel self-conscious and she rubbed the back of her neck. "A-all right…"

"You had on a silver pendant on a black chain around your neck. Your hair was long and wavy and you looked absolutely beautiful."

She looked away, blinking back tears. Why was he doing this to her, making her love him even more? "Dr. Crane…"

"I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable. I was just remembering. It's a nice memory."

Suddenly she felt guiltier than ever before. How could she have forgotten their first meeting while he remembered it so vividly? She was certain that he had been wearing a suit but what color? And what kind of tie? His hair was much lighter back then, thicker, blonder… but the details of their first meeting were lost on her. The fact that he remembered was only one of the many reasons that she had been in such a state of distress after the phone call from Mel. If only she hadn't been so stupid when it came to telling him what was in her heart.

"So, any thoughts on passionate friendship?"

_Oh God…_

"W-what?"

"In the book."

Her eyes moved to his hands where he was thumbing through the pages and she felt a huge flush of relief. "Oh right… the book. Well, it sounds like a lovely idea."

"Um, yes. Lovely. Does that mean that you've re-thought the whole _Dr. Crane_ thing and will consider calling me _Niles_?"

She bowed her head, taking a sip of her cider. "It's not right."

"I see. Well, I won't pressure you right now, but don't think you're off the hook."

She looked up in alarm, expecting to see anger, but to her relief he was smiling. And she gvave him a smile of her own.

"Why don't we get started on dinner?"

"All right."

Niles picked up the grocery bag that he'd placed on the table and carried it into the kitchen. She followed him, wondering if she'd hurt him by not remembering the details of their first meeting. He seemed different now; silent. As expected he said nothing as they prepared dinner, which only served to increase her remorse.


	30. Chapter 30

"Oh, this is wonderful!" Daphne praised as the creamy pumpkin soup made its way down her throat, warming her almost instantly. "I've never had pumpkin soup before. And this bread…"

"Artisan." He replied.

"Where did you find it?"

"I stopped by the bed and breakfast on my way back."

"It's wonderful." She said again. "Thank you, Dr. Crane."

"It was my pleasure."

They ate in silence but her head was swimming with things to say; apologizes that she knew Dr. Crane would tell her were unnecessary. But she felt an overwhelming desire to ask for forgiveness, and it couldn't wait. "Dr. Cane, May I say something?"

"Of course. What's on your mind?"

She paused, trying to think of the right words, but they simply wouldn't come. And now he was leaning closer, the unease in his eyes returning. "Daphne, what is it?"

"I-." Her eyes met his and his expression, as she expected was one of genuine concern. "I-I'm sorry."

He returned his glass of iced tea to the table and gave her his undivided attention. "Now what could you possibly be sorry about? You haven't done anything to warrant-."

"I'm sorry I frightened you earlier when I went for a walk. I thought I'd be back well before you got home. I didn't go far; just far enough to surround meself in the woods. I sat on an old log and just listened to the quiet. It was so beautiful."

"It is beautiful." When he sniffled she smiled.

"You've never been into the woods, have you, Dr. Crane?"

"Oh, I-."

She grinned, knowing full well that he was trying to avoid the embarrassment of being caught in a lie-a nosebleed. The poor man was afraid of everything when it came to nature; things that crawled, crept or flew and she found it funny that he'd chosen the most beautiful part of the Washington Cascades for his home. The cabin was surrounded by nature although it was much too cold for any wildlife to be roaming around; at least not close enough to harm him. "It's all right." She said after a long silence. "But it is very beautiful."

"Perhaps I should venture out there someday-."

"With your wife."

"Um… yes."

His answer surprised her, not because of the words, but because she hadn't meant to say the words aloud. The room fell silent once again and she finished the last few spoonfuls of her soup. With her empty plate and bowl in hand, she rose to her feet. "It's my turn to do the dishes. Are you finished, Dr. Crane?"

"I am, but Daphne you don't have to do that."

"But it's my turn. I-."

His hand covered hers in a manner that told her that he wasn't annoyed but rather, determined. "Please. I insist. You're my guest, Daphne. I'll take care of the dishes."

She didn't move her hand, nor did he, and she smiled shyly, as their hands remained as they were. "All right. Well, if you need any help…"

"I'm fine. Just make yourself at home, Daphne."

That word again_… Home_…

Still feeling a bit guilty, she watched him only for a second before heading to the front door. She carefully lifted Niles' down jacket from the hook and pulled it on. As before, a blast of cold air hit her face, causing her to wince. She drew the hood just high enough to cover her ears and sat down on the porch, her hands shoved deep into the pockets.

She didn't know how long she had been there, sitting on the porch, gazing up at the star-filled sky, but even after she sensed Niles standing behind her, she stayed perfectly still.

How had things gotten so complicated? She had truly loved Donny, but it wasn't enough. She thought that once they were married, her feelings for Niles would simply melt away. _You are a fool, Daphne_… Her conscious shouted, _if you think you can just stop loving him so easily._ The truth of the matter was that as time went on; her feelings for Niles only grew stronger and stronger until she was filled with so much love for him that it physically hurt.

_Damn you, Niles Crane. Why did you find your way so deep into my heart? And why did you make me fall in love with you, only to fall in love and marry someone else?_

He was still standing there, watching her and when she could take it no longer she turned to him. He seemed surprised, and he must have assumed that she had no idea that he was there. "What is it?" Her words came out harsh and she saw him flinch slightly as though she'd stung him.

"Um… nothing." He finally replied. "Can I get you more apple cider?"

She laughed. "I'd better not."

"It might help you to relax."

The words offended her. No, more than that. They hurt. How dare he.

"Are you saying that I'm tense?" Despite the agitation in her voice, she kept her tone steady, but inside she wanted to scream.

"A little."

She couldn't look at him. How dare he even suggest-

"Daphne-."

His voice carried a hint of the same agitation. But she refused to give into his psycho-analysis. She wasn't one of his bloody patients. Her feelings were hurt, but she wasn't about to tell him. He'd only give some insincere apology and start up again with some theory and she didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

Her first thought was to go back inside, taking shelter in her room, but what good would that do? He'd only follow her, bantering her until she opened up to him. But now this silence created a wall between them.

"Daphne, do you remember what you told me once about secrets?"

Reluctantly she turned to him. "No, what?"

"You said that you don't believe in secrets. You had a theory, if I'm remembering correctly, that people keep secrets because they're afraid that the truth will lead to rejection and heartbreak."

"I don't remember saying that at all." The quiet but strained words were a lie of course, for she remembered it very well.

"Well, I do."

She swallowed hard, wanting so much to lash out at him, but instead she stared at him, wondering how things between them had changed so quickly-and why.

"Dr. Crane, what's your point?"

"Well, you also said that you felt that the world would be a better place without secrets. That if everyone just came out and said exactly what was on their mind, there would be less opportunity to judge others."

She sighed deeply. "All right. I suppose I did say those things, but I still don't understand-."

"I remember thinking a great deal about what you said and I found myself wishing that I had the ability to unburden myself of my secrets. Well, one in particular. It's actually a secret that I've been holding inside for far too long."

Her heart was pounding hard against her chest and it physically hurt to breathe. "And?"

"And… It seems that instead of my adopting your gift for honesty, you've adopted my bad habit of keeping things bottled up."

Daphne bit her lip, fighting the tears that were so determined to make an appearance. She loved this man more than anyone in the world, but right now-the way he was badgering her-accusing her-

"It's cold. We should go back inside."

"Daphne, you've been hiding something for months it seems, just before Frasier's Christmas party-."

"Just because I choose not to tell you something doesn't mean that I'm holding anything in, nor does it mean it has to do with you, Dr. Crane!" She was yelling now, trying desperately to will away her tears.

"Daphne, you shouldn't do this!"

"Maybe I will have a bit more of that cider." _Or a lot_. She added silently, pushing past him to head into the kitchen where the kettle was still sitting on the stove and she quickly poured herself another mug of cider, adding a touch of honey and a bit more brandy than was necessary.

"When we do things that aren't normal for us, it causes an inner rift that can have disastrous repercussions."

"You do it all the time!" She said sharply. Her tone softened when she spoke again. "Would you care for some cider?"

"I may do it all the time Daphne, but I have had years of experience holding things in. Secrets just aren't normal for you. They aren't your habit, nor do you believe in them. You were very adamant about that."

His psychiatrist-laden "advice" and conceit about his superiority to her as a person made her fume and she could no longer contain her anger. "Don't tell me what I believe and what I don't believe, Dr. Crane! You have no right-."

"What is it, Daphne? Is it Donny? Tell me please. I want to help."

She wanted so badly to leave; to run into the woods as far as she could go, risking anything and everything that might happen to her. But he was standing in front of the door, blocking it as though to say that she wasn't going to get away; not this time. Why was he doing this to her? And how was it possible to hate and love someone simultaneously?

"Dr. Crane, please… don't!" The flood of tears was pushing through the dam, forcing their way over the edge and she pursed her lips begging, pleading for the tears to remain at bay, at least until she could be alone.

"This isn't like you, Daphne. I'm worried about you. Please… you can tell me any-."

"I_ know_, Dr. Crane, all right? I _know_!"

"If you know then why don't you just-."

"I mean, I know your bloody secret!"

His mouth fell open and his eyes widened. "What secret? Daphne what are you talking about?"

If she'd thought him a good actor before, he was a legend now, for he seemed completely clueless as to what she was talking about. And the fateful words were out before she could stop them;

"I know that you were in love with me for six years."


	31. Chapter 31

He did not say _"I still do, with all of my heart and I always will." _Those words were spoken only in her dreams. And she'd had the same dream hundreds of times before; awake and asleep, imagining, and dreaming of his reaction to her confession.

The fairy tale version surfaced most often of course; the one where he said nothing and instead brushed the hair from her forehead, pulled her into his arms and kissed her until they were both breathless. But reality proved to be worlds away from her dreams.

He stared at her, saying nothing and it was almost impossible to read his expression. She'd seen him go through so many emotions in the past few days that she was afraid of which emotion might surface. It could be any number of things; astonishment, anger, resentment, guilt, or dare she hope-happiness. She pushed away relentless tears with her fingertips, praying he hadn't seen. And then she dared to speak, knowing full well that doing so was taking a terrible risk.

"I-I wish… I'm so sorry."

"Please don't be sorry, Daphne. I-I don't know how you could have possibly known. But that's beside the point. There's something about love that makes us into better people. You've given that to me and for that I'll always be eternally grateful."

She smiled, hoping that she appeared happy but on the inside she was screaming; _Why, Dr. Crane? Why? Why didn't you say anything? And why don't you love me anymore? _

He had loved her once, but that was in the past. It was sweet of him to say that she'd changed his life; dare she hope that it meant he'd forgiven her for not returning his feelings? His face was swimming into shapes as her eyes filled with a sea of tears and she turned away, unable to look at him.

He was right in what he'd said to her. She was terrible at hiding things. She hated secrets. To keep a secret from someone; anyone-but especially her best friend-was a sign of mistrust, and she trusted Niles with her life. She always had and she always would.

But now her thoughts went back to Donny. Was it really only five days ago that she thought she could marry him? Last night her nightmares were guilt-ridden images of her former fiancé's face when she told him that she could neither spend a week or the rest of her life with him. But she hadn't told him the real truth. Not the whole truth.

She was in love with his former client; the man whom he had helped become free from his painful marriage and had introduced her to Donny, not knowing (Most likely having no idea at all) that it would lead to an engagement; a fate that would break his heart. It didn't seem fair. It _wasn't_ fair. But until Frasier asked for a massage on that fateful day that he'd taken those pills for his back, she had loved Donny with her whole heart. Or at least that's what she continued to tell herself. But her heart knew the truth.

And as Frasier had said many times before… The heart never lies.


	32. Chapter 32

Her thoughts drifted back to exactly one week ago….

_Donny was high as a kite, having won another huge out of court settlement. Celebrating a victory like this was nothing new, for he was always ecstatic after his successes. But for some reason this case seemed to make him exceptionally happy.  
><em>

_"Who wants to marry a millionaire?" He shouted over the sound of the cork popping from the champagne bottle. At once the bubbly liquid rose to the neck of the bottle and spilled over the sides. He hurriedly placed the champagne glasses underneath, allowing them to fill on their own and then handed one to Daphne. _

_She had laughed, hoping to avoid having to come up with a meaningless answer for such a silly question. "It's why I do what I do." He continued. "It's the best feeling in the world, Daphne; giving clients the good news." When he kissed her, she silently prayed for the miracle that she would suddenly feel the same way about Donny that he felt about her. But of course, it was an impossible and pointless effort.  
><em>

_"You should have seen the other guy." Donny laughed. "I'll give him credit though. He took it like a man. He'll be okay, though. He's a lawyer and a good lawyer always knows when he's down for the count."  
><em>

_She smiled and sat on his lap, draping her arm around his shoulders. "Do you?"  
><em>

_He shrugged in response. "Thank God I've never had to find out."  
><em>

_She feigned a smile, wondering how his self-righteous and conceit could annoy her even more than Nils and Frasier's did. Perhaps it was because she was used to the Crane brother's arrogance. Or perhaps it was something else. _

"_I have a surprise for you."  
><em>

_She blinked in disbelief. "A surprise for me? What is it?"  
><em>

_"Close your eyes."  
><em>

_"Donny-."  
><em>

_"Come on, just do it!"  
><em>

_"All right."  
><em>

_She did as he asked, and she felt him take her hand, placing a flat piece of paper in her palm."  
><em>

_"Okay, you can open them now."  
><em>

_Her eyes slowly opened and she glanced at the envelope in her hand. "What's this?"  
><em>

_"Plane tickets."  
><em>

_Her eyes moved from the slim navy blue envelope to his face, which held a grin. "Donny what is this?" she asked a second time.  
><em>

_" Well, open it!" _

_Slowly she lifted the flap and slid out the light blue tickets. "Oh my God, Donny… New York City?"  
><em>

_"Yeah! With this latest settlement I really hit the jackpot, so I thought what the hell?"_

_She threw her arms around him and kissed him. "Thank you so much! Thank you! Thank you! Thank You! Oh you have no idea how much this means to me! I've wanted to go there since I was a little girl!"  
><em>

_"Oh, I have a pretty good idea!" He replied. "I mean, you've talked about it enough! Geez!" _

_The slightly hurtful comment was not lost on her but she chose to ignore it. However, it was hard to ignore the fact that she hadn't told him that she loved him; words that seemed appropriate to accompany words of gratitude. But even more so, she wondered why it was so hard to say them at all. _

Now she knew the real reason; because she didn't love him. And days later, having already packed for a romantic whirlwind weekend in New York, she'd broken Donny's heart.


	33. Chapter 33

If Donny had only known how much she hated herself for not knowing a good man when she saw one. Karma worked with a vengeance. Hours after she'd broken Donny's heart, a phone call had broken hers. And her already broken heart cracked yet again when she saw the man who had showed her just how much love she was capable of giving him, staring at his wedding ring as though it were a precious gem. And the crack deepened even further when he'd admitted, in a sense that he no longer loved her.

She could have lifted an entire house with the enormous strength that it took to keep her tears at bay. If she was no good at keeping secrets, then she was absolutely horrible at this.

Why had the news of Niles' marriage to Mel been such a shock? She'd heard him mention many times how happy he was and how much he loved Mel Karnofsky. The way he spoke so highly of his ex-wife's plastic surgeon should have left no doubt about their future. But apparently when it came to the subject of relationships, even that of her best friend, Daphne was once again clueless.

Her mind returned to Donny and the way she'd broken his heart. The man who had promised to sweep the stars from the sky and lay them at her feet had been hurt unfairly. This generous and thoughtful man, who must have worked tirelessly to win the out of court settlement in order to plan a whirlwind romantic trip to New York City; a place he absolutely hated, simply because she had told him many times that it was somewhere she'd always dreamed of going.

Now she looked at the man whom she loved so deeply; the man she'd hurt even deeper than she'd hurt Donny. Her friend, her _best _friend whom she'd hurt yet again by blurting out a secret that he'd kept for so long. Why would anyone do such a cruel thing to someone that they loved? Why had she? Her tears burned like fire, but there was no way to take back the words. And it was the first time she'd ever seen anyone turn ashen.

As soon as the words left her mouth; a soon as she saw his face turn that frightening shade of gray, she knew it was true. As traumatic as it had been for her all of these months, loving him from afar and pretending to be in love with another man, it had to have been pure hell for him. For Niles had suffered an even worse fate; loving his father's physical therapist for years and years without being able to say anything. And then when he was finally free to ask for her love, she had done the unthinkable and had given her love to someone else. It was much too late to say the words, but she thought them anyway.

_If only…_

Her chest began to ache and the tears started their ascent toward the surface. "I'm so sorry." She said again, even though she knew that it wasn't enough. It could never be enough.

The emotional dam was starting to break and she blinked back as many tears as she could. The rest she brushed away with her fingertips and turned to look at him. But then she realized that something was terribly wrong. The color had not yet returned to his face; a fact that worried her. But there were no other signs. She watched as he sank onto the sofa like a rag doll. No longer looking at her, he leaned forward on his knees, staring straight ahead, trying unsuccessfully to control his breathing. Her heart thudded in her chest as reality set in...

He was about to have another attack.


	34. Chapter 34

"Dr. Crane? Dr. Crane? Dr. Crane!"

Her heart racing, she sat beside him on the sofa and placed her hand flat on his back, feeling the hesitant rise and fall. He was struggling but slowly began to control his breathing on his own. And strangely she found herself adjusting her own breathing to meet his pattern: _Rise… fall… rise… fall…_

To her dismay, his breathing did not improve but it was of some comfort that it hadn't worsened either. New tears replaced the old and followed the path down her cheeks. He was trying so hard to breathe normally, and she knew that he was doing it not for himself, but for her.

"Dr. Crane…" She whispered brokenly. At a loss for what to do, and giving into the fact that there was nothing else she could do, she rested her head against his shoulder. Amazingly his breathing began to return to normal almost immediately. His cautious arm slid around her shoulders, drawing her closer to him and he sank into the sofa as if to let her know that he wasn't going to pull away.

And suddenly she began to cry.

He was so wonderful, so thoughtful, so caring. And he was still her friend. She put her arms around him so that he wouldn't even consider moving away but his only movement was to hold her closer and let her cry. Uncharacteristically, he asked no questions; a relief of gigantic proportions, for she wouldn't have known how to answer his probing questions anyway. He made no protest about the fact that she was dampening his expensive cardigan and shirt, and for that she loved him even more.

For the millionth time in just the past few days, she sobbed out of control, unable to stop. But this time was different. Now as she cried relentlessly, the man she loved so deeply was holding her, stroking her shoulder and she'd never felt so loved, even if that love was purely out of friendship.

"I love you, Dr. Crane."

"I love you too, Daphne."

They had said the words before; she was sure of it, but now she couldn't remember when…

Oh yes, that's right. It was years ago when Roz had introduced her to Rodney, who promptly dumped her for Adele of all people. Adele; the woman whom Niles had met and brought over to Frasier's. What a stupid woman Adele was, dumping Niles for that loser Rodney. Daphne wished she'd never laid eyes on Rodney. And she wouldn't have, had Roz not insisted on finding her a man.

The irony of the situation was overwhelming as she remembered the night clearly. She and Niles somehow ended up at the same bar, sitting side by side, drowning their sorrows in a drink. She'd placed her hand over his and told him that she loved him. And he had echoed the sentiment. But that night it was she who had spoken in friendships and he who had spoken from the heart.

Now the situation was reversed. It was she who had told him that she loved him, speaking more sincerely and deeply than ever before and Niles who had echoed the words in friendship. Perhaps in the future she would remind him of this moment and they could share a laugh.

But not tonight.

It was this thought; this ironic memory and the reality that he no longer loved her that brought a second wind, her tears returning in full force. She loved him so much for being here, for holding her and letting her cry while his gentle arms provided a warmth and comfort unlike any she'd ever known. She loved him for forgiving her for blurting out his well-kept secret; the words leaving her mouth as though they were just words instead of deeply felt emotions that he'd kept to himself for years.

He hugged her and she buried her face deeper into his cardigan while he murmured something that sounded like "I love you." But most likely it was just her imagination, letting her hear what she wanted to hear.

God, how she loved him.


	35. Chapter 35

She simply couldn't stop crying.

She wished, oh how she wished that she could freeze time as she rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart; the heart that was filled with all kinds of love. The love he had for his brother and father that he cared enough about them to keep things tailored to their interests like books and puzzles in his home in the mountains, should they come for a visit. To stay forever in this moment, curled up in his arms, his hand softly stroking her back seemed like the most wonderful thing in the world.

They were silent for a long time and when he finally spoke; albeit softly, the sound of his voice took her by surprise. But when he moved slightly and tried to stand, she felt a sense of panic.

"Let me get you some tea and tissues. I'll be right-."

"No..." she whimpered, holding him tighter. She couldn't let him leave, even for a moment. She needed to be held. She felt him sink into the sofa and suddenly his face was in her hair. He inhaled deeply and then his lips replaced the spot where his nose had been, kissing her softly. No man had ever kissed her hair before; no one except the man who was holding her now; the man she loved unconditionally, even though he wasn't hers to love.

They spent the night in each other's arms and she drifted in and out of sleep, exhausted from crying. When, at times she found herself awake and unable to stifle the soft sobs that were still present, he was stroking her hair, humming softly a song that held a special meaning for both of them; _Heart and Soul_. The gentleness of his voice and the touch of his fingers in her hair were all she needed to drift back into slumber.

A small jump in his breathing jolted her awake. She straightened, grimacing from the stiffness in her body. And when their eyes met, she smiled shyly. It was, perhaps her smile that brought him fully awake and he winced, just as she had, indicating that his muscles were stiff as well.

"Turn around."

Her eyebrows rose and she laughed; a sound that was foreign to her own ears after hours of crying. "Why? What's going on?"

"I'm just going to return the favor."

"What favor?"

"A favor I should have returned long before now."

Her heart leapt as she did as he asked, and she gasped lightly when his hands went to her shoulders, moving rhythmically. "I'm not as good at giving massages as you are, but I'll do my best." He squeezed her tight shoulders and kneaded her upper back, her lower back and her arms in his hands. Her heart tightened as his hands touched the bare nape of her neck and she felt a hundred times better when she finally turned to him. She could feel the flush of her cheeks and at that moment her love for him increased in ten-fold.

Impulsively she hugged him, content once more to feel his arms around her. "Thank you, Dr. Crane."

"You're welcome, Daphne." He replied after a long silence. But he didn't have to answer at all. The comfort of his touch and the fact that he cared were payment enough.


	36. Chapter 36

From that moment on, everything was different.

Gone were the tensions brought on by her confession of ending her engagement with Donny, replaced with a trust between each other unlike any she'd ever known. But the guilt sliced through her anyway, for she had yet to be fully honest with him. Last night as she cried in his arms, it provided the perfect opportunity to tell him everything; to apologize for lying about her break up with Donny. It was true that she hadn't actually lied, but allowing Niles to assume that it was Donny who had ended the relationship and not saying anything was just as bad, if not worse. He was placing blame on a man who was completely innocent.

However, none of that seemed to matter now. An invisible barrier had broken between them, leaving a space in which to deepen their friendship. If she could not be his soul mate in the romantic sense, then she was willing (albeit painfully so) to accept their relationship as it always was; one of friendship.

He was her best friend. She'd known that for years. But now it was even truer. There was no one on earth she cared for more than Niles; no one at all.

Last night as she slept in his arms, she had awoken fully but briefly, to find him sleeping soundly. The poor man had been exhausted was exhausted and what had she done? Not only had she spilled his secret, but she'd managed to cause him undue stress and anxiety which lead to a near fatal attack. Perhaps she was over-reacting at the memory of the severity of his attack, but when she noticed the change in him, she treated her response as though saving him was the only thing that mattered. And of course, it was.

But when he was breathing normally again, she had broken down in sobs, allowing him to think, once again that she was still mourning the loss of the man who had placed a diamond ring on her finger and promised her the stars. Her heart however, knew the truth. It wasn't Donny she'd been mourning. It was Niles and the fact that although she loved him deeply, she could not have him.

She had stared at Niles for a moment, wondering how it was possible for a man to be so beautiful. He was sleeping so soundly that if she had dared, she could have leaned into him, softly kissing his lips and he might not have known. Instead she did what her conscious instructed her to do. Slowly she removed his sweater and shoes and unbuttoned his shirt collar and cuffs, in the hopes of making him feel more relaxed.

He was out cold; having no idea that she was touching him, allowing her to lift his stocking feet onto the sofa and cover him with a blanket. Taking care of people; it was what she did. It didn't take long, however for her to realize just how tired she was. And so she settled in the plush arm chair that sat adjacent to the sofa. But when she heard him gasp audibly, she was awake and out of her chair, flying to his side within seconds.

She sat beside him, one hand on his chest, the other carding through his soft hair. They no longer used paper bags to control his breathing when they realized that she was able to calm him on her own.

"It's all right, Dr. Crane. Just breathe slowly." She encouraged, stroking his hair and forehead. His eyes were wide with fear, but she continued to whisper softly. "It's all right. I'm here."

He tried; he really did. But this time it wasn't working. He turned pale and then blue, frightening her even more than the last attack. She couldn't lose him. Not now, not here, not ever. Tears filled her eyes and panic filled her chest. "Dr. Crane, please… Please, stay with me! I love you!"

Her whispered words somehow found their way to his ears and like an answered prayer, he began breathing normally. Overcome with relief, she could not stop the tears that spilled onto her cheeks. But it was when he pulled her into his arms that the tears increased, dampening his shirt. She loved him so much more than she ever did before now.

God how she loved him.


	37. Chapter 37

The afternoon came sooner than expected and she was determined to slow time down. Their week together in the cabin had been whittled down to only a few more days. And so much had changed in just the course of one day.

At certain intervals, however, they found themselves leaning on each other. Time after time, she would drop whatever it was she was doing and come to rest against him with a shuddering sigh. It was a challenge of sorts to see if she could reach him before the tears began flowing once more, but he was always there, comforting her when she arrived in his arms. Always.

She couldn't bear to think about leaving him. Not now. She refused to think about what it would be like when she returned to Frasier's-her real home. The questions, the accusations, the prodding from her boss and his father-Niles' family. Her family. But it was the thought of the impending loneliness that shook her most of all. She would not start dating when she came back, despite the advice that she knew that Roz and Frasier would give. They would accept her break-up with Donny, but would say that choosing to stay single is unhealthy and unwise for a woman of her age. The fact remained that seeing other men was completely pointless when she was in love with someone else. She had made that mistake before, giving her heart completely to a man that she truly didn't love.

She wiped away a few tears, determined not to waste what had become the best week of her life. She and Niles still had time to be together, and she wanted to make the most of it.

Their lunch finished and the dishes put away, they resumed building the rooftops of London. It had become a ritual, a way to fill time between meals. They made no plans, did nothing special. They were just two friends, trying to spend as much time together as possible before reality found its way back to them.

As they worked on the puzzle together, she noticed that he was no longer counting the pieces. Dare she hope that he was also trying to make the minutes move more slowly? They had finished less than a tenth of the puzzle, not having even completed the sides. They worked without looking at the picture on the box; anything to slow time down as much as possible.

She had finished putting together another steeple; a blue one this time. Every so often while they worked, their arms would brush against one another as they reached across the table for another piece. The small but significant touch made her heart quiver. She couldn't look at him and instead kept her gaze on the scattered puzzle pieces.

Now she was trying to match a red piece to a nearly completed section of the same color. But the more she tried, the more impossible it seemed. The piece was almost miniscule in size and her sight, she was quickly learning, wasn't as sharp as it used to be. It was beginning to feel like she would never discover its proper place. But she worked persistently, feeling a bit like Niles and his brother in the way that they concentrated on tasks that Daphne often thought of as completely ridiculous. But now she finally understood.

She looked at the clock, startled to see that she'd spent nearly fifteen minutes trying to find a place for one silly puzzle piece. Fifteen minutes of her week with Niles, gone forever, never to return. Conceding defeat, she tossed the annoying puzzle piece back into the pile of unattached pieces and fell against him with a tired, frustrated sigh. It was a sigh that caused his breath to catch in his throat, as though she'd startled him with the unexpected movement.

"Love is so complicated, isn't it, Dr. Crane?" Her own voice surprised her, for it was the most she'd spoken in more than an hour. He seemed just as surprised, replying with a confused "Um…"

"Psychiatrists study this sort of thing, don't they?" she mused. "I mean, don't they have some sort of simple, pompous explanation?" She could feel his face against her hair and she smiled as he inhaled the combination of cucumber and peppermint from her shampoo. It was an odd combination to be sure, but now she was glad that the store was out of her favorite brand, thus forcing her to try something new.

"Well..." Niles began slowly. "This may not be the most popular theory among professional psychiatrists, but I for one believe that love is controlled by the heart and that it's actual circumstances and not the heart itself that make things complicated."

Daphne sighed deeply, disappointed in the expected answer. "Oh…"

"It's difficult to explain the theory of attraction." He continued unhurriedly. "Professionals have been trying for centuries but have never come as close to understanding love as, well… Shakespeare for one."

"The course of true love never did run smooth."  
>His eyebrows rose and he seemed taken aback by her knowledge. "<em>A Midsummer Night's Dream."<em>

She sat up and looked at him. "I did go to school you know!"

His smile faded. "Daphne I'm sorry, I didn't mean-."

They were gazing at one another now. His eyes held the same look as before, when she'd almost done the unthinkable and kissed a married man. Her heart increased its pace, but he did not kiss her, nor did he even try; a fact that was both a relief and a disappointment. But the disappointment waivered when he reached out and brushed wisps of hair from her cheek. The feel of his fingertips on her skin made her heart flutter and she silently wished for something more; something she knew would happen only in her dreams.

For he was a man she could not have.

He smiled at her and she ignored the disappointment that floated inside of her as they both returned to the safety of the rooftops of London.


	38. Chapter 38

Outside the picture window, the sun had begun to fade into a beautiful sunset, a rainbow of colors that only the Pacific Northwest could produce. Although the beauty of it overwhelmed her, it also pulled at her heart, reminding her that time had passed without her knowledge. But she told herself that the day truly was not over as long as they were both awake.

Wordlessly she rose from the sofa, leaving Niles to continue working on the puzzle. She stepped outside, breathing in the fresh mountain air. The night was chilly but it was warmer than it had been. March was finally beginning to feel less like February and it was a sign that spring was indeed on the horizon.

In her mind, the years began not in January with the singing of _Auld Lang Syne, _the fireworks from the Space Needle and the New Year's Eve parties, but in March. The third month of the year held a hopefulness and newness that January and February could not even come close to possessing. The dead months, she often called them.

She needed this newness now more than ever. It was less than two months until they reached what should be the happiest time of her life; the start of her life as Mrs. Ronald Donald Douglas.

At the thought of his name, remorse over what she'd done returned with a vengeance, poking and prodding its way into her mind and her soul. She supposed the guilt would remain inside of her forever and she deserved every bit of it.

But deep down in the depths of her soul, she knew that she'd done the right thing.

If she had gone through with it-all of it, the wedding, the honeymoon- the marriage would have been on shaky ground right from the start. There would be fights, long silences and tension that often came with marriages that started out loving and ended up in turmoil, much like Niles and his first wife. The fights would stem from the smallest details; finances, housework, Donny's endless work schedule… but she would never be able to deny the root cause of those disagreements; Niles. Not that she would ever blame him for her marriage breaking up but she knew that she would never be able to get him out of her mind.

It had been months since she'd learned from his older brother about his feelings and since that day he was permanently etched in her mind; in her soul. The rift in her new marriage to Donny would crack and shake violently. Divorce would inevitably follow and the process, knowing Donny, would be quick and detrimental to her self-esteem. She'd end up alone and unconnected, her first marriage having failed, feeling the wrath of her family and Donny's family and she was reminded yet again of the fact that she'd never really bonded with them; the Douglas' family, who would have become her family by marriage.

Yes, she had done the right thing; she was sure of it. Even if she felt remorse, there was some consolation. Had she still been engaged to Donny, she could have never come here, to this luxurious and beautiful cabin in the mountains with her best friend. It was irony at its finest.

Breaking up with Donny, ending their engagement, had freed her to spend a week with the man she loved so deeply, even if he no longer loved her in return.


	39. Chapter 39

Last night, when his fight for breaths had become too alarming to take lightly, she'd considered calling 911, but selfishly found that she couldn't bear to leave his side, even for the seconds it would take to reach for the phone and dial the three simple numbers.

And even if she had called for help, they were in such a remote area of the mountains that she feared that the paramedics might not be able to find them. She could have called Mr. and Mrs. Kwan, as the bed and breakfast owners seemed to be good friends with Niles and would do anything for him (especially if they knew that his health was in danger) but she'd shamelessly forgotten what she had done with their phone number.

These were excuses of course, but she knew that had she attempted to call for help, Niles would have objected, insisting that he was perfectly fine and that the attacks were brought on by allergies that were only found in this part of Washington State.

His sniffling would have told her that that his comments about the allergies were indeed a lie and that even after spending so much time alone together, he still felt that he couldn't be completely honest with her. But she had no right to be angry; no right at all, for she had done the same to him. And yet her lies had been much worse.

Why had she not yet told him the truth about her breakup with Donny? Was it because she feared that he would never speak to her again, and end their friendship once and for all? That he would never trust her or want to see her face for the rest of his life? They were, in her mind, valid fears, but they were irrational ones.

He'd already been faced with two lies; or untruths that she had led him to believe but his actions in the aftermath of both should have told her that he was unfazed by either.

When he had arrived at Frasier's only a few days before, she led him to believe that she was suffering from the flu, when in fact she was suffering from the effects of a broken and shattered heart.

And the second event, when he'd learned from his brother that she was no longer engaged and confronted her here in the cabin, he assumed that Donny was the one who ended their relationship. And she did not correct him.

Although she did apologize and tell him that she was not suffering from the flu, she had not told him the truth about Donny, nor had she been completely honest in her explanation of why she had burst into tears at Frasier's when he had arrived unexpectedly to retrieve his keys.

And yet both instances resulted in a warm embrace and unyielding compassion; two things that she certainly did not at all deserve.

Stars glittered overhead around a pale sliver of moon and her heart ached. It was the most perfect romantic setting that she could ever imagine, and yet it was a harsh reminder of the impending loneliness that was sure to set in.

Since yesterday, she had not been able to stand being more than a few feet away from him for longer than the time she allotted herself to shower and change. It was a feeling that she simply could not describe to anyone; even to herself. Being in his arms last night, her head resting against his chest letting him hold her while she cried into him, etched warmth into her soul. And now whenever she moved away from him, the air around her felt cold; as though she was incomplete; a house without a door or a coat without buttons or fasteners-allowing a chill to find its way to her, if only for a moment.

He had not disappeared into his study as of yet tonight, a reminder that surprised her. Since the since the first day they had arrived, he had politely excused himself every evening after dinner and retreated into his office.

"Make yourself at home." He always said, making her smile. "I just need to take care of something in my office. I won't be long. Do you need anything before I leave?"

"No, I'm fine. Thank you, Dr. Crane." Was always her reply.

While he was gone, she found things to keep her occupied; working on the puzzle, reading snippets of books that lay on the coffee table, or a bit of straightening of the living room. Just enough to stay busy but not enough to feel as though she was doing housework. And true to his word, he would emerge from his office about a half hour later.

She'd never considered asking him but she assumed that it must be around ten or eleven PM in Atlanta. She didn't have to question his secrecy, for she knew full well that he wanted his privacy so that he could call Mel.

She couldn't fault him for that, for if the situation was reversed, wouldn't she want privacy to make a phone call to Donny when he was far away on a business trip across the United States? Of course she would. It was all irrelevant now, but that was beside the point.

Now she stood outside in the darkness staring at the stars overhead. What would their lives be like when they returned to Seattle? Would things remain as they were; would they be what they were just days earlier; friends who saw each other on occasion, such as when Niles would drop by Frasier's for an impromptu visit? Would he come over with his wife?

Daphne knew that Mel was not at all fond of Niles' family whatsoever and the feeling was mutual. But she hoped, for Niles' sake, that in time Mel Karnofsky would learn to accept them as family; something Daphne had yet to accomplish with Donny's family.

But even so, Daphne knew that she would never treat the Douglas family with as much disrespect as Mel had treated the Crane family; including Martin, Frasier and even Eddie. It was completely-

No.

No. She would not allow herself to continue thinking such cruel thoughts. Mel may have had an unpleasant, harsh and demeaning manner-especially when she ordered Daphne around like a servant-but Daphne had no right to feel any anger or bitterness.

Mel was Niles' wife and from Daphne's point of view, Mel had made Niles blissfully happy. He was happier these days than she'd ever seen him. His face lit up whenever he talked about his wife; something that she hadn't witnessed in quite some time. He used to put on quite a facade when he would go on and on about Maris and her unreasonable demands, saying that he was willing to do whatever she asked of him in the name of true love. But Daphne always noticed a tinge of untruth when it came to his first wife, leading her to believe that his love for Maris was slowly starting to crumble, when in fact, Maris' love for him ceased years before.  
>Daphne's heart went out to him, and she had to admit that it was a surprise when he'd started seeing Mel. He looked so alive, so happy, and so free.<p>

So in love.

Tears stung her eyes and slid down her cheeks, blurring the stars and moon, as well as the rippling water of the lake before her.

If only she could be that happy.


	40. Chapter 40

She was still staring at the shimmering lake when she felt the warm weight around her shoulders. Just as he had done the night of Frasier's Christmas party, he had draped his down jacket around her. Heart fluttering, she slipped her arms into the sleeves and turned to him, giving him a sad, tentative smile. "Dr. Crane…"

"I'm sorry if I frightened you, Daphne. I thought you might be cold."

"Thank you, Dr. Crane, I-."

Her breath caught in her throat. He was reaching into his pocket. Oh God, he was going to tell her about the ring. But why here? Why now?

"D-Dr. Crane, I really don't-."

But it wasn't the ring he was holding in his hand. It was his handkerchief. And it was only when she took the handkerchief and blotted her eyes that she realized that she'd been crying yet again.

She'd cried so many tears in the past few days that her sadness had evolved into an emotion that felt normal, oddly bringing no feeling at all. And she'd no longer noticed the tears that were once again sliding onto her cheeks.

But Niles had noticed, and for that she loved him even more.

The feeling increased her tears. After all that she'd done to him; the lies, the accusations, dodging questions, he had no right to be concerned about her. No right at all.

"Are you all right?"

The question, asked softly, was a trigger to more tears. Bloody hell.

"I'm fine, why?"

Another lie; a lie that was bigger than the others that she'd already told him in the past few days.

"I was worried about you. I _am_ worried." He said in the same quiet voice. "You've been out here for a long time and I wanted to make sure that you're okay. "

"I'm sorry."

At her quiet words he smiled. "Don't be sorry. I just-what were you thinking about?"

_You. You're the only person I ever think about._

It would have been so easy to take his brother's advice and speak from the heart, to change the entire dynamics of this week. To tell him why she had been acing the way she had. To confess her deepest, darkest secret; the one that kept her warm when the cold thoughts of what she had done back in Seattle threatened to shatter her emotions. But instead she took the cowardly way out.

"I was just thinking about Donny."

Another lie, one that caused Niles to look away from her. When she looked at him again, he was not looking at her. He was staring at the lake in front of them. His hand was shoved deep into his pocket with the ring.

His wedding ring.

"Right." He said after a silence that seemed to go on forever. "How stupid of me. It's only natural that you would-."

"You're not stupid, Dr. Crane. I am." She blurted out.

"Don't say that, Daphne. Don't ever think of yourself that way!" His words were firm, direct, as though he was speaking to his own child.

"But I'm the one who-."

"No. You're the one whom Donny hurt, Daphne. This is entirely his fault, not yours."

She sighed deeply but said nothing. This was not the time or the place to correct him; to finally tell him the truth. And she was beginning to think that the right time and place ceased to exist.

Perhaps it never would.


	41. Chapter 41

"I wish…"

His voice, after yet another long silence startled her and she looked at him, wiling him to say more. But he remained silent until she could no longer stand it. Her gaze had returned to the lake and then to the stars and sliver of moon overhead. "What do you wish, Dr. Crane?"

When he gave no immediate answer, she looked at him again. And finally he replied. "I wish I could make you happy again, Daphne. I can't stand to see you so sad."

A small sob escaped as she wrapped her arms around him, moving as close to him as she possibly could. In this position, with her head against his chest, she could almost hear his heartbeat. Her tears dampened his shirt, but as usual, he didn't seem to mind. He never minded the inconveniences bestowed upon him while they were alone, even something as trivial as someone's tears dampening the fabric of his expensive shirts and sweaters.

And in that moment, something happened.

Boldly she reached for him, her hand reaching out to touch his cheek. The brush of her fingertips against his smooth skin was meant to be a simple gesture, but it had the opposite effect. The familiar but no less frightening shift in his breathing returned, indicating that another attack was inevitable.

God, what had she done?

She stayed where she was, curled up against the man she loved, but could not have. As she'd done before, she gently pressed her palm flat against his chest, caressing it. Within seconds, his breathing had returned to normal, but she did not move. She couldn't. She was so content in his arms that she'd barely realized that he had taken her hand from his chest and curled his fingers around it. And then he moved it moved slowly upwards, returning it to his cheek.

The feeling of her hand on his face was so soothing, so _needed _that she felt her own breathing change. In that moment, she'd gotten but a brief glimpse of how those frightening shifts in his breathing must have made him feel; helpless, worried…

His hand covered hers and removed her hand from his cheek. But instead of letting her hand fall, he held onto it. Together their hands moved in the slightest where she felt his lips on her palm.

A kiss.

It wasn't the kind of kiss that she'd dreamed of; the kind of kiss they had shared on the night of the Snow Ball. But a kiss nonetheless, and because she loved him so much, the gesture warmed her heart.

Her heart fluttered and she felt as though she was dreaming as he let go of her hand, using both of his arms to hug her twice as tightly as before. She snuggled her face deep into his chest. Their arms securely around each other, she closed her eyes, dreaming for a moment that he was hers and that they were the only souls on earth.

It was the most beautiful moment imaginable.


	42. Chapter 42

Her eyes still closed, she relished the feeling of his arms around her. It was as though she'd been transported into one of her romance novels.

"We should go inside." He said a million years later.

"If we have to." She responded quietly. But panic set in at the thought of leaving this place. She held onto him, knowing how much she would miss this; miss him, miss being in his arms when they returned to Seattle.

Home.

Her _real _home.

The mere thought of going back there made her hold him even tighter, her hand rubbing his chest as she had done just moments before when she'd feared for his life.

Only this time the gesture was a sign of affection and not a way to prevent another anxiety attack from occurring.

A star streaked across the sky.

"This is my favorite place in the world."

"I'd be honored if you were to think of it as your home, Daphne, anytime you need it."

"Thank you, Dr. Crane." It was a generous offer and she reached up to touch his face once more. And then she smiled. It did not matter that he hadn't yet realized that she had not been talking about the cabin or the lake behind it, but about his arms. Here in his embrace; his arms were her favorite place in the world.

At that moment, Donny entered her thoughts, like an intrusion. It was as though he was here, hiding in the shadows, witnessing this wonderful, quiet moment between herself and the man she truly loved. And then at the most unsuspecting moment chose to intervene, like a punishment. She could hear him clearly, taunting her with rapid-fire questions, designed to pierce her heart, the way she suspected he did with the husband or wife that he was siding against in one of his divorce cases.

_Why did you do it, Daphne? Why now, so close to our wedding? Why him? Why did you fall in love with him? If you were so in love with him, why did you accept my proposal, letting me make a complete jackass of myself in the middle of Frasier's living room? What's so damn special about Niles Crane?_

She sighed at the imagined question. There were a million ways that she could answer it. She could go on and on about how wonderful Niles Crane was, how he'd loved her for years but she'd been too stupid to see it. She could write an entire romance novel filled with all of the things that she loved most about him, and what made him so special.

But this was no romance novel. This was real life. Donny was not hiding in the shadows, nor would he ever be found at the cabin again; at least not as an invited guest. And even if Daphne were to list all of Niles' wonderful qualities, the things that made her love him, it would not change the fact that he was married to someone else and thus would never be hers, no matter how much she loved him.


	43. Chapter 43

Another harsh intrusion came then; reality. And the reality was that when they returned to Seattle, she'd have a multitude of problems to face.

Not only would returning to the real world mean that she would lose Niles Crane forever as he settled into married life with Mel, but her social life would change as well. Unless Donny had taken the liberty to tell people otherwise, as far as most people were concerned, the wedding was still scheduled to proceed as planned. They were in for quite a surprise.

She shuddered beneath Niles' arms, almost forgetting but for a moment that she was in complete solitude. But the solitude lasted only a short time until reality reared its ugly head once more.

It would be up to Daphne to break the news. Letters would have to be written, emails carefully composed and sent. Catering, flowers, musicians, hotel and flight arrangements canceled. Wedding gifts returned, honeymoon plans canceled, friends who demanded detailed explanations. And family to be faced.

She'd never hear the end of it from her family. Her brothers would most likely laugh and make crude comments that were meant to be funny but would in fact wound her even more. She loved them, but sometimes even her favorite brother Stephen, took on the less desirable traits of Simon.

Her father would surely be disappointed, most likely unconvinced that his only daughter would ever get married. And then there was her mum and the accusations, the endless questions, the guilt that would stay with her for the rest of her life, like a wound that would be opened again and again with each phone call home.

Once again her chest felt tight and it hurt to breathe. She inhaled deeply, the shimmering lake blurred by her tears. She glanced at Niles, but he was not looking at her. He was staring at the lake, his hand deep in his pocket with the ring.  
>His wedding ring.<p>

She moved away, pulling out of his arms, instantly feeling the absence of his warm body against hers. And the feeling was unbearable.

How in heaven's name would she ever get used to it, not being in his arms, feeling the comfort of his touch? She supposed she would eventually, after enduring many cold sleepless nights, dreaming of what it would have been like to be with him forever. Crying endlessly into her pillow, as she had done before their journey to the cabin and even more frequently after they had arrived. Hiding her unhappiness from Frasier and Martin, allowing them to think, as Niles had, that she was still grieving the loss of her fiance.

Now she would have to settle for seeing Niles not on a daily basis as before but when he decided to come to Frasier's with Mel, or when she would casually run into Niles at places such as Café Nervosa. Would they still be friends? Would they ever be as close as they were right now? It was impossible and it hurt her deeply to think of losing his friendship as well. But she'd get over it, in time.

Time.

Time was working against them now. Time had become the enemy, taking away the cherished few moments that she had left to spend with the man she loved before losing him to his wife. The man she loved who no longer loved her in return.


	44. Chapter 44

Relentless tears fell onto her cheeks and she was grateful for the darkness; grateful that he was no longer holding her in his arms so that he wouldn't see her crying. He'd never come out and say it, but Daphne knew that he'd seen enough of her tears in the last few days to last him a lifetime.

She doubted that Mel had ever cried this much, if she had ever cried at all. Mel was too strong and too proud. Daphne had always thought of herself as a strong person, but these past few days had proven that wrong ten times over. She was weak and sensitive; something she never imagined herself to be.

So if Mel's tears (if she ever to shed any) brought the same kind of comfort that Niles had bestowed upon Daphne, his new wife would be wise to express her emotions more often; in a subtle way that didn't hurt him. Niles had so much love inside of him, not only for his family and friends but even more so for Mel. Daphne was sure of it.

She knew without a doubt that Niles loved Mel unconditionally, just as he had loved Maris in the same manner. That's just the kind of man he was. The kind of man he would always be.

She was unable to hide the small sob that escaped and she suddenly needed to return to the confines of the cabin, where she would head straight for her room. But as soon as she attempted to turn herself to face the front door, her foot caught on a pebble and she felt her entire body lunge foreword.

The movement frightened her and she cried out in surprise. From somewhere unknown she could hear Niles calling her name. He was beside her in an instant, grabbing her hand to steady her.

But at that moment, when his left hand came out of his pocket, she saw that same flash of gold; the one that she had seen twice before, had pictured it in her subconscious over and over again bringing unimaginable pain to her heart. It sailed into the air; soaring, arching, falling, clinging and dancing until it collided with the pebbles on the path, finally coming to a sparkling stillness in the moonlight.

They stood facing one another, their gazes directed toward the ring as their hands remained linked. Seconds later their eyes met and she saw Niles stunned and helpless expression that surely mirrored hers.

The secret that he'd kept hidden so well had silently revealed itself.


	45. Chapter 45

Never had silence been so deafening.

Her heart pounded in her chest and she stared at him, waiting for him to say something, anything to validate what she'd known for days. As expected he remained silent. She bent down and picked up the ring, her fingers trembling like mad. Their eyes met once more and she moved toward him.

"I-I believe this is yours." Her voice was completely unrecognizable to her own ears.

His hand was trembling with such intensity, that she was afraid he might have another attack. It would certainly be the right situation to trigger one, but she wasn't going to let that happen. Not now, not ever again if she could help it.

Daringly she took his hand in hers and turned his palm upwards, placing the ring in the center. And then she closed his fingers around it.

He swallowed hard, his breathing showing signs of disruption. But he remained amazingly steady on the outside. On the inside she knew that he was collapsing, just as she was.

"D-Daphne." He managed to wheeze out. "I'm so sorry, I-."

"It's all right, Dr. Crane. I should have told you before… so many times before, but really it's none of me business and you… when you didn't mention it, I realize that perhaps you didn't want anyone to know. Not even me."

His eyes widened. "Y-you knew?"

She nodded, determined not to think of that horrible, dark moment when she sat alone in Frasier's condo, numb with pain. But it was easier said than done.

That phone call… hearing Mel's voice and those words; "_Niles and I are eloping..."_ would haunt her for the rest of her life, even more so than the constant reminder of what she had done to Donny.

As though he sensed her unease, she felt him squeeze her hand. "Daphne…"

"I'm sorry. I know I should have said something, but-."

"H-how could you possibly have known?"

"It was your-Mel called."

Just saying the words was like feeling a huge weight being lifted off of her shoulders. And he still wasn't aware of the other things that she'd been keeping from him.

He blinked and shook his head. "Wait, what do you mean, _Mel called_? I never-."

"I know. I-she didn't call your brother's place. She called Donny's cell phone. I heard it ringing and I answered it."

He let out a breath. "Wh-what did she say?"

"_She was horrible, absolutely horrible." _ Daphne said silently. She wanted to be honest with him, tell him exactly what Mel had said and how she had talked to Daphne as though she was worthless, but she couldn't do that to Niles, and speak badly of Mel. He loved this woman enough to marry her and she had to respect that. The tightness in her chest returned and she fought to keep her voice steady.

"Sh-she thought she was talking to Donny's secretary. I-I had no idea that he'd left his phone at your brother's. I know I shouldn't have answered it but when I heard it ring, I thought at first it was your brother's phone. I thought-."

Niles held up his hand, bringing her to silence. She was saying too much, and ironically she hadn't said nearly enough.

"Daphne... what did Mel say?"

Daphne bit her lip in an effort to keep her voice steady. "S-she was looking for Donny. Well, obviously or she wouldn't have called his phone, right? She-." New tears filled her eyes and she blinked them away. "She wanted me to have Donny send her attorney the prenuptial agreement that she-."

Niles' head snapped up. "_Prenuptial agreement_?"

"Yes, I-."

Niles muttered something that sounded vaguely like _"Mel"_ followed by a string of hushed curse words, but she was in such an emotional state at the moment, she couldn't be sure. When she looked at him again, the sight alarmed her; The gray paleness his skin had displayed earlier had returned.

At once she forgot about the phone call from Mel and put her arm around Niles. "Are you all right?"

He moved woodenly in a circle as she tried desperately to steady him. She tried to lead him back into the cabin where she was certain that he'd be more comfortable, but he came to a complete halt. He stood there, as though in a catatonic state, staring at the lake and her heart was racing so quickly that she thought she might faint.

"Say something, anything, please!" She begged as the tears flowed down her cheeks. "Dr. Crane, please!"

He turned his head slowly and looked her. "I-I…"

Her hands gripped his, in a desperate motion. "Talk to me, please!"

"I-I had no idea that she had… if I had I would have-."

"I should have never brought it up. I thought you knew! I mean, I just assumed... when Mel said that you were eloping, I found it odd that there was a prenuptial agreement, but I don't know anything about the logistics of getting married, as you probably figured out. Kind of ironic since I was engaged to a divorce lawyer, isn't it?" She was trying so hard to sound cheerful, but her tears and broken voice suggested otherwise. "But don't worry, Dr. Crane. It won't change things between you and Mel. I know you love each other and I know you'll have a wonderful life together! I'm happy for you, I really am. I-."

He reached into his pocket and removed his handkerchief, handing it to her. "I'm so sorry, Daphne. I should have been honest with you. After all that you've been through, you of all people deserve to know the truth."

She looked toward the mountains, the tears still running down her cheeks, unable to stop them, no matter how furiously she tried to blot them away with the cloth.

She felt him reach for her, but she pulled away.

"Daphne-."

"You don't owe me anything, Dr. Crane. I don't deserve anything! Nothing at all! You're so wonderful. You're always wonderful and you've always been wonderful. But me, I'm a horrible person!"

"Don't say that!" he ordered. "Don't ever say that! You're not horrible, Daphne. You're wonderful!"

"Stop being so nice to me, please!" She yelled. "I can't take it anymore!"

He fell silent, staring at her in disbelief. "Daphne, I-."

"I'm not wonderful, I'm horrible!"

"Daphne, no-."

"I've _lied_ to you, Dr. Crane! I haven't been honest with you at all! I haven't told you the truth even when you asked me to tell you, so many times!" She raked her hands through her hair, trying to suppress a sob.

"I don't-."

"Of _course_ you don't understand! Friends aren't supposed to lie to each other, but I did and I'm so sorry! I want to tell you the truth, so badly, but I'm so afraid!"

"Afraid? Afraid of what?"

"Of you!"

The words stunned him. "What?"

"Just… never mind, Dr. Crane. Forget I ever said anything, okay?"

"I can't forget it. And I don't think that you can forget it either. How can you possibly be afraid of me?"

His handsome face was blurred by her tears, but she didn't have to look at him to know that there was hurt in his eyes.

"You're really afraid of me, Daphne?"

"Yes." She blurted out, the word harsher than she meant it to be.

"But I-."

"Oh, don't you _get it_? I want to tell you the truth, but I'm afraid!"

"Of what?"

"Of _you_! Of what you'll think of me! You're bound to hate me, after I've lied to you so many times! And I can't lose you, Dr. Crane! You're my best friend in the whole world!"

He froze, looking at though he was on the verge of another attack. Oh God, this was all her fault.

"Daphne, listen to me please." He finally said. "There is _nothing_ that you could say that will change the way I feel about you! Nothing will _ever_ make me hate you or think less of you. It will _never_ happen, _ever_. And even if it upsets me, I will _always_ be your friend. I swear I will _always_ be there for you. No matter what."

"But you have no idea what I'm going to say!"

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter, Daphne. _You're_ what matters. And our friendship means the world to me. It means so much for me to hear you call me your best friend. I know I've always said that Frasier is my best friend, but there are so many things that I can't talk to him about that I can share with you. He's too much like me; so judgmental and worried about what other people think. But not you, Daphne."

She brought her trembling hand to her mouth as it became harder and harder to control her emotional state. He came closer, brushing a stray wisp of hair from her forehead. "You're my best friend, Daphne. And as your best friend, I'm begging you from the depths of my soul to please tell me what's wrong."

"Please, Daphne…"

She took a deep breath, wanting so much to believe that the words he was saying were true. She trusted him with her soul, and to doubt him would unravel their bond of friendship. Another deep breath came then; one that caused her to shudder and he squeezed her hands.

"It's about Donny." She said after a long silence.

He let out a long sigh. "I thought as much. Daphne, what is it?"

"When you came back from Seattle after hearing about our broken engagement from your brother, you assumed and I led you to believe, that Donny-."

"Daphne I'm so sorry for getting so angry. I-."

"Dr. Crane, please! I don't know if I can get through this-."

Their hands still joined, he stepped back to give her space. "Go on…" he said quietly.

"When you told me that you knew about the engagement, you assumed that it was Donny who had broken it. That he had ended our relationship. But it's not true."

"What are you saying?"

"It was _me_, Dr. Crane! I'm the horrible one! I broke up with Donny! _I'm_ the one who broke his heart!"


	46. Chapter 46

She could feel her whole body trembling, and when their eyes met she was stunned to find not anger in them, but something that could be considered compassion. Perhaps it was just her imagination, for how could he forgive her so readily when she'd done nothing but lie to him? Twice he'd opened his mouth and then closed it again, as though he'd wanted to say something but then had changed his mind. She couldn't blame him, however. She'd done so many terrible things in the past week that there was nothing left to say.

"Daphne…" He began slowly. "I-."

"I'm so sorry Dr. Crane, I never meant to lie to you!"

"But you _didn't_ lie. I just assumed… Please don't blame yourself."

"But it's _my_ fault! When you assumed that Donny had broken up with me, you said all of those things about him and about how he was a liar and despicable, but those words describe _me_, not Donny!" Her voice rose with every word as she became more and more hysterical. "_I_ broke up with him!_ I'm_ the liar and the despicable one who did something unforgivable! How could I do something like that?"

"Daphne, I'm sure that whatever you did or think you did-."

"How could I do something like that?"

"Do _what_? Daphne, what is it? Tell me, please!"

"How could I be in love with Donny for all of those months and then just suddenly be in love with someone else? What kind of horrible person does that?"

He was staring at her now in obvious disbelief, his hand running through his hair. She tried not to look at him, but she just couldn't seem to tear her gaze away. The shock of her latest revelation had yet to wear off, and his breathing began to change. "Dr. Crane, I'm so sorry, I-."

"Daphne-."

She burst into tears and went to him, pressing her face into his shoulder. As he had done before, he held her close as she sobbed uncontrollably, the tears dampening his sweater. He said nothing for a long time, just let her cry until her sobs became shudders.

She cried for everything; for the shame of lying to him, the relief of telling him the truth, for allowing herself to fall in love with Donny and agreeing to marry him, breaking Niles heart when he was the man she loved all along. And still Niles held her, never even hinting that he wanted to let go. She loved him so much, even though she could not have him. He'd been so wonderful, even after everything she'd put him through. And still he held her.

She cried softly as he rubbed her back. "Daphne, please don't blame yourself. I know that you loved Donny. I could see it when he proposed and you accepted. It hurts when relationships end; I know that all too well, after Maris and… well, sometimes people just fall out of love with one person and into love with someone else. It took me a long time to realize that and an even longer time to get over it. I'm still not completely over it, but I'm trying. And every day it gets a little easier. Breaking up with Donny because you're in love with someone else doesn't make you a bad person, Daphne. I know you, and I can't imagine how hard it must have been for you to end your relationship with one man because you're in love with another. But please believe me when I say that I'm happy for you, Daphne. You've found someone else and that's…. ." he paused and she heard the slight catch in his voice. "That's wonderful." He continued. "I want you to be happy. I will always share in your happiness."

"Thank you, Dr. Crane. But there's only one thing that would make me truly happy."

His hands were on her shoulders now, his crystal blue eyes pulling her in. "I'll do anything to make you happy, Daphne. Anything. Anything at all."  
>She said nothing and neither did he as they continued to stare at one another. She studied his face; his handsome face. His eyes, his lips, his cheekbones, his chin, his hair (which had once been light-blonde but time had darkened and thinned a bit, making him even more handsome)-oh, how she wanted to touch his hair; to feel its softness beneath her fingertips.<p>

"Daphne, are you all right?"

"I-I…"

"Daphne please let me help you. I want so much to make you happy and I meant what I said. I'll do anything-."

She reached for him, cradling his face in her hands. His breathing changed only slightly and she moved her hand to his hair where she began stroking it lightly. She could see that he was a bit uneasy, but at that moment she could think of nothing else but the love she felt for this man.

And it was that feeling inside of her; that wonderful yet heartbreaking feeling that seemed to make all thoughts of right or wrong vanish as her hand returned to his cheek, bringing his lips to meet hers.


End file.
